Rai stars alongside EastEnders actor Steve McFadden in the film

The movie is based on the true story of a British woman, Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who was jailed in 1989 for killing her violent husband by setting him on fire.

Former Miss World Rai said she took the role because it "touched a chord and as a woman I believed in the issue".

A huge star in India, Rai is known in the UK for 2004's Bride and Prejudice.

She stars alongside Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane and EastEnders actor Steve McFadden in Provoked.

The British film was inspired by Ms Ahluwalia's autobiography, in which she describes 10 years of rape and abuse at the hands of her husband.

Abuse 'myth'

In 1989, after he had threatened to burn her with a hot iron, Ms Ahluwalia threw petrol on to the duvet under which her husband was sleeping before setting fire to it.

She was later charged with murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Her case was taken up by the pressure group Southall Black Sisters, and in 1992 the sentence was quashed.

The landmark case helped create a new defence in court for women suffering from domestic violence.

"I believe the story should be told," said Rai at Tuesday's premiere.

"It is an absolute myth that only women who are uncertain or lack confidence probably go through domestic abuse.

"This is probably an issue that exists in your very neighbourhood or in your own family and it's not much discussed."