This movie is a contemporary UK vision of an age old story as epitomised by Shakespeare, but with two at odds relationships adding a layer of complication. The situation, a volatile northern English town, typically Bradford, and characters, one Islamic Pakistani family and two prejudiced English families loosely representing the Capulets and the Montagues.

In England, the Pakistanis Yasmin lives two lives in two different worlds: in her community, she wears Muslin clothes, cooks for her father and brother and has the traditional behavior of a Muslin woman. Further, she has a non-consumed marriage with the illegal immigrant Faysal to facilitate the British stamp in his passport, and then divorce him. In her job, she changes her clothes and wears like a Westerner, is considered a standard employee and has a good Caucasian friend who likes her. After the September, 11th, the prejudice in her job and the treatment of common people makes her take side and change her life.