The film premiered on August 15 on the STRT91 YouTube channel and is available to watch for free worldwide.
Watch UNRELEASED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJjVGN1HpJg
THE FILM THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO EXIST
Imran and his team went to Vile Parle to shoot a reel. They left with a documentary.
At the centre of it is Kuldeep, 20, the reason the cypher exists at all, he started gathering rappers with nothing but word of mouth, and admits on camera that for a long time, he didn't tell his mother it was happening. Not because it was wrong. Because he didn't want to hand her one more thing to worry about.
That's the whole film in one confession: young people finding somewhere to put what they're carrying, quietly, before anyone tells them they're allowed to.
What began with a handful of strangers standing in a circle is now a Saturday ritual, a rotating stage for young artists across the city, each one showing up for themselves in front of people who might, by the end of the night, become friends. The only rule: show up, bring your words, keep rapping.
The Camera Points Where Hip-Hop Documentaries Usually Don't
Most hip-hop films chase the stars, the labels, the arenas. UNRELEASED goes the other way, into gullies, onto pavements, into cramped homes, and lets rappers talk about identity, family, hunger and ambition not as a filmmaker's theme, but as the life they're already in. No studio lighting. No stylised edits. No industry standing between the artist and the mic.
"These young artists don't need sympathy. They need an audience. I hope this film gives them one." - Imran Shamsi, Director
Director's Note - Imran Shamsi
"I've spent most of my career directing campaigns and branded films for some of the biggest names in entertainment. But this film reminded me why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place. We went there just to shoot a 90 second reel. Then we met Kuldeep. Then Ayan. Then Pannu. Then dozens of kids standing in a circle, waiting patiently for their turn. Nobody had asked them to come. Nobody was paying them. Nobody was promising fame. Yet every Saturday, they showed up. That's when I realised the story was never about rap, it was about people finding dignity through expression."
Imran Shamsi is the founder of What Works, a Mumbai-based production house whose work spans documentaries, branded films and advertising for Aamir Khan Productions, Red Chillies Entertainment, Yash Raj Films and Sony Pictures. He also directed Spotify's short documentary on Emiway Bantai, and Behind The Beats: 25 years of Lagaan.
Editor's Note - Ninoshka Andrade
"Usually you're chasing the cleanest frame, the smoothest transition. Here, the imperfections became the language of the film, a shaky phone recording, someone forgetting their lyrics, a crowd shouting over each other, silence after a hard line. We wanted the audience to feel like they weren't watching performers, but standing inside the circle. We didn’t try to make them look cool, we just found what’s cool within them. Hopefully, by the end, it feels less like you discovered rappers, and more like you met people."
Ninoshka Andrade is Creative Director at STRT91 and edited UNRELEASED, weaving documentary footage, street recordings and interviews into a single narrative.
Why STRT91 Made This
STRT91 exists on one belief: the streets of India already hold extraordinary stories, someone just has to stop and listen. UNRELEASED is the platform's first major independent documentary, and its clearest proof of that belief yet. The team didn't have to travel across the country to find their subjects. They found them a few kilometres from home, in a public ground in Vile Parle, where every weekend, a circle of unknown rappers passes around a mic and nobody's checking who's famous.
From Private Screening Rooms To A Free Public Release
Before its public launch, UNRELEASED was previewed at intimate industry screenings hosted at Aamir Khan Productions and Excel Entertainment’s Lightbox Preview Theatre, bringing together filmmakers, musicians, writers, journalists and members of Mumbai's creative community. It premiered publicly on 15 August 2026 on the STRT91 YouTube channel, released free, worldwide.
Hrishi K- Radio & Podcast Host
This is the kind of thing that is so needed. Something from the streets. Something straight from the heart. It's counter-cultural. It's the absolute best. And I love the fact that all these rappers are known by their pen names and how they go out there and express themselves. It's such a wonderful way of expressing your frustration. And, I think Kuldeep, who was one of the main characters, was right. He says words are free. Use them.
Kautuk Srivastava- Comedian
It was one of the most inspiring and moving things I’ve watched in a very long time. There’s so much talent around, it needs to be given that one push. I hope we get to see more of these kind of films.
ABOUT STRT91
STRT91 is a storytelling platform documenting India's street culture through original films, documentaries, photography and short-form storytelling — the people, places, art, music, food and communities that make India's streets extraordinary. YouTube: youtube.com/@STRT91 | Instagram: instagram.com/strt.91
ABOUT WHAT WORKS
What Works is a Mumbai-based production house creating advertisements, documentaries, branded films, music videos and digital campaigns. Founded by Imran Shamsi, the studio has worked across entertainment, film and brand storytelling with leading Indian studios and global brands.
thisiswhatworks.in
MEDIA CONTACT
Shivangi Chaturvedi - PR & Promotions, STRT91 / What Works
Email: shivangi@thisiswhatworks.in
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