Shailendra Singh directs Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Unplugged in Mumbai

New Delhi [India], December 14 (ANI/GIPR): Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are unquestionably Hollywood’s Royal Couple. But they have never appeared together in a film – until now!
Audiences around the world are soon going to witness the never-seen-before, raw and real emotion, excitement and celebration of Michael and Catherine’s epic reunion with Shailendra Singh in Unplugged in Mumbai.
Says director, Shailendra Singh, “There was so much joy in reuniting with Michael and Catherine right here in India, that I knew I had to share the story with the world. My mantra behind ‘unplugged cinema’; is : no expectations, no limitations. If a story is there, I will tell it in whatever way possible. I am blessed to present a facet of this beautiful couple, which most people never get to see.”
Shailendra’s brand of ‘unplugged cinema’ is an avant-garde way of telling captivating stories in an unstructured and unparalleled creative manner. Kache Din, his first unplugged cinema that featured Deepak Dobriyal, Yashpal Sharma and Tina Singh, won 30 awards on the international film festival circuit. After the release critically acclaimed Diversion, Shailendra released SERGEI – featuring Sergei Polunin, the greatest living ballet dancer who is often referred to as the ‘James Dean of Ballet’ and ‘The Bad Boy of Ballet’. Beyond the film, evidenced in their many public online chats, the two creative geniuses have also become the closest of friends.
Says Sergei Polunin, “Shailendra is the ultimate storyteller. He can take the smallest emotional moment and fill the screen with it. He can take the most personal experience, and make it universal. It was anintense creative experiencetomake ‘unplugged cinema’ with him and I look forward to working with him again.”
Now, ‘unplugged cinema by Shailendra Singh’ presents Unplugged in Mumbai, featuring Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Shailendra Singh. Michael and Shailendra were introduced to each other in India, to collaborate on Michael’s sequel to Romancing the Stone. The film was never made, but for the two filmmakers, the connection went deeper – they have now been friends for over fourteen years.Unplugged in Mumbai is a moving portrayal of a lasting friendship with a twist – when Catherinemeets Michael’s “fabulous, crazy Indian creator”,Shailendra, for the first time!
The joy and gratitude expressed by this star-powered trio as they immerse themselves in the magic of India – especially the artistic brilliance of Mumbai – is sure to inspire heartfelt pride in Indians around the planet. Audiences will witness this epic adventure and feel the beauty of Indian hospitality through the eyes of the most famous Hollywood couple in the world.
Says Michael Douglas, “Catherine and I feel a deep connection to India and this visit to see Shailendra was incredibly inspiring. I’ve always been amazed at Shailendra’s energy and ability to bring any story to life. He’s captured our adventure in the most incredible way.”
Unplugged in Mumbai is directed by the National Award winningShailendra Singh, written by Nicole Sottung and edited by the award-winningArun KumarAravind. The film gives us a peek-behind-the-curtain of an intense friendship, showcasing the power of relationships, love and celebration. In this once in a lifetime film, audiences everywhere will see these global icons completely open, honest and unfiltered.
Says Catherine Zeta-Jones, “Shailendra has such excitement and pride for his country. He’s also just areally great guy. He’s very caring, philanthropic, a very successful businessman, but also just successfulin life. He’s just a really great
human being and citizen of the planet.”
Using ‘unplugged cinema by Shailendra Singh’ to tell cinematic stories in a completely unconventional way – without any borders or restrictions – Shailendra’s mantra behind it all is : ‘No expectations, no limitations’. After decades as a revered entertainment and sports guru, Shailendrahas built lasting relationships with multitudes of India’s larger than life personalities. Hoping to feature them in his ‘unplugged cinema’, he will soon approach KapilDev, Nana Patekar, SouravGanguly, Mithoon and Sushmita Sen.
Storytelling is not new to Shailendra Singh. In his three decades at the helm of Percept Ltd and beyond, every startup he launched (23 of them in 23 years!), every advertising campaign he sold to a corporate, every Bollywood talent or athlete he signed on for representation, was all based on a good story. Since it’s inception in 2007, every Sunburn festival has told a creative story to India’s 600 million under the age of 25 – surely one of the reasons that it grew to be the 3rd largest dance music festival in the world (*IMS Asia business report 2014). When he literally penned down his stories in a literary way, his bookF?@k Knows became a HT Nielsen National Bestseller within 45 days of release.
Unplugged in Mumbai is marketed and distributed by Reliance Entertainment. Pre-pandemic, Reliance and Shailendra Singh announced numerous film projects that they would be working on together, including the life story of M.S. Bitta – India’s Most Bombed Man.
Says, ShibasishSarkar, “Shailendra has always brought a unique perspective in any creative endeavor he has pursued. We value his constant pursuit of pushing the limits and breaking down barriers in order to tell the best story possible.”
With a runtime of 60-minutes, Unplugged in Mumbai is slated for international release in January of 2022. The platform is soon to be announced, but it is known that, according to the wishes of Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Shailendra Singh, the proceeds of the film will be donated to Magic Bus to support the education of underprivileged Indian children. Keep an eye out on Reliance and Shailendra Singh’s socials to know when this once-in-a-lifetime film, for a very good cause, releases in January 2022.
This story is provided by GIPR. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GIPR)