MUMBAI: In a bid to engage with consumers from one of the fastest growing traveler-markets – India, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has partnered with BookMyShow (BMS), India’s leading entertainment destination, to give users a glimpse of the iconic culture and beauty of Singapore. A part of STB’s latest consumer engagement experience ‘My Singapore Connect’, this initiative brings together acclaimed talents from India and Singapore, through a four-part web series which will be released exclusively on the streaming platform BookMyShow Online, on November 28th & 29th and December 5th & 6th.

A true reflection of the initiative’s tagline ‘Where Passions Meet’, the web series celebrates creativity across various art forms, including film-making, music, food and comedy through interesting, candid conversation between renowned artists across India and Singapore. Each episode will be headlined by an Indian artist in an engaging interaction and conversation with their Singaporean counterpart, giving consumers a rare opportunity to catch them as they share stories of their passion for their respective crafts.

The exciting line-up will feature Chef Ranveer Brar, MasterChef India judge partner with Chef Bjorn Shen, MasterChef Singapore judge to share their culinary pursuits, passion for food and what keeps them busy when they are not cooking.  Zoya Akhtar, critically acclaimed director-producer of ‘Gully Boy’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ and Boo Junfeng, an award-winning Singapore film director will share how they unwind after a hectic filming schedule, why food plays a prominent role in deciding a shoot location and what first excited them to pursue filmmaking.

Audiences will witness the candid bonhomie between Singapore’s home-grown DJ and music producer Manfred Lim (Myrne) and Prateek Kuhad, singer-songwriter who was among the line-up of international artists at the off-track entertainment gala at the 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix and see them perform their popular music sets and chat about how they keep their fans engaged during this pandemic and the urge to perform live once again. Varun Thakur, the crowd-favourite Indian comedian who performed in Singapore in 2018 and Sharul Channa, Singapore female stand-up comedian artist will reminisce the time they met in Mumbai, upcoming gigs they are planning and test each other on who can remember the most number of shopping brands at the Changi airport.

This first-of-its kind partnership between STB and BookMyShow will leverage the ever-growing and evolving virtual medium, keeping audiences engaged and entertained in these extraordinary times.  While entertaining audiences with lesser known facts about the artists from both countries, the videos will also showcase the different locations in Singapore and the affinity between the artists, thus furthering the initiative’s underlying theme of ‘My Singapore Connect - Where Passions Meet’.  

Speaking about this initiative, G B Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East & South Asia (IMESA), Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said, “India and Singapore share many cultural similarities and we want to use this opportunity to further highlight and strengthen the emotional connect between both countries. We are delighted to bring together these virtual experiences and continue reaching out to people of common passions. The STB’s association with BookMyShow reaffirms our commitment to innovatively engage with our consumers by bringing together renowned artistes from both countries to collaborate and deliver engaging, entertaining content. We hope that the ‘My Singapore Connect’ videos will delight the viewers and inspire visits to Singapore, when the time is right.”

Talking about the partnership and the initiative, Marzdi Kalianiwala, Head – Marketing and Business Intelligence, BookMyShow said, “India and Singapore have a shared culture with love and enthusiasm for all out-of-home experiences. BookMyShow’s extensive capabilities of robust data analytics, customer insights and an entertainment-loving user base of millions of loyal consumers along with STB’s rich and deep understanding of the cultural ethos of Singapore as one of the most loved global travel destinations meant this partnership was a natural fit. We are excited to extend this unique experience to and offer our consumers, an opportunity to be a part of enriching conversations amongst renowned artists across cinema, music, comedy and food through the virtual experience of the ‘My Singapore Connect’ initiative.”

Beyond the episodes, the partnership will also look to take ‘My Singapore Connect’ to the next level by enabling the artists to meet in person in Singapore, when normalcy returns and travel is possible, to turn their inspirations to reality across their art forms.

Speaking on their association with ‘My Singapore Connect’, the artists said:

Zoya Akhtar: "The appetite for cinema is fast continuing to evolve, with audiences across the globe having access to content like never before! Cinema as an art form has been transcending geographical barriers for decades now but technology has enabled it to reach everyone. My association with ‘My Singapore Connect’ - an initiative by the Singapore Tourism Board and BookMyShow is a true reflection of that evolution. I am so excited to catch up with Boo Junfeng and see the world through his films, his eyes as he takes me through some of the most iconic locations in Singapore, a country that remains one of my most favourite destinations to visit and I can’t wait to shoot there now that I have seen locations that were as yet hidden away to a tourist."

Ranveer Brar: “For me, food and travel always go hand in hand because I connect with a cuisine better when I have understood how it has evolved. I have fond memories of my last few visits to Singapore and exploring its diverse culture and cuisine, especially, street food. I am super excited to team up with Chef Bjorn Shen, with whom I discovered a lot of common ground, not just w.r.t food, but life and business too! All this and more coming your way, thanks to ‘My Singapore Connect’ by Singapore Tourism Board and BookMyShow.”

Varun Thakur: “Singapore was the first international destination I went to as a child so it always holds a special place in my heart. Going there as an adult last year brought all the fun memories back and helped me make some more. I’m grateful to ‘My Singapore Connect’ for the opportunity to collaborate with Sharul, someone whose personality, vibe and comedy I admire a lot. I’m excited to chat with her about food, music, culture and get all possible tips and tidbits for my next Singapore visit. I want to thank the Singapore Tourism Board and BookMyShow once again for this opportunity that’s bringing artists together from both countries.”

Prateek Kuhad: “While I only got to travel to Singapore in 2016 for the Music Matters festival and a couple of shows at the F1, I’d love to find more of a ‘My Singapore Connect’ with the city. I’m looking forward to chatting with Myrne to understand and learn more about Singapore, its music and the food surprises they have to offer. Hopefully our stories of touring and travels make for an interesting conversation for you guys. Shout out to Singapore Tourism Board and BookMyShow for putting this piece together!"

Boo Junfeng: “Cinema has always held sway over the Indian audiences and even here, in Singapore we have seen how popular Indian movies can be. I am very fond of Zoya Akhtar’s film, Gully Boy, and it’s a privilege for me to share screen space with her in a video where we talk about our shared passion for filmmaking. In addition to this, I shall be taking Zoya through the vivid cultural scenes of Singapore and rediscovering the source of ideas for our favorite art form. I am thrilled to be a part of this initiative by Singapore Tourism Board and BookMyShow for offering this platform to reach out to the Indian audience.”

Chef Bjorn Shen: “Food is always a subject of great interest whenever I travel; and having visited India, I have seen first-hand the buzzing food culture of the country. I’m thrilled to join hands with rockstar Indian chef Ranveer Brar in discussing our passions for cooking and swapping stories of the great culinary cultures of both our countries. I hope that through ‘My Singapore Connect’, viewers are able to taste these delights, even if only through their screens for now.” 

Sharul Channa: “The world has seen some really grey days over the past few months and I think we all collectively value the power of a good laugh now. I’ve always had great fun when I’ve visited and performed with an Indian audience and I’m thrilled to collaborate with Varun Thakur for ‘My Singapore Connect’. I’m sure we both have some interesting anecdotes to share and this will translate into a friendly banter. Through all of this we also hope to showcase a lot of common ground between both countries. This is a wonderful and unique platform for us to connect with our fans.”

DJ Myrne: “For me, music has always transcended barriers. So, I am thrilled to collaborate on this project with Singapore Tourism Board and BookMyShow to engage with Indian fans! It will be great to virtually meet Prateek Kuhad and understand the roots of his music. Also, to share ‘My Singapore Connect’ and chat about how our home base enables us to draw inspiration for our common passion of creating music. Singapore has a growing and diverse music scene, while India is well known for its rich legacy in music. I hope Prateek and I will be able to jam together someday in person representing the best of both countries.”

Registration Link: https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/my-singapore-connect/ET00300898