Sometimes, all you need is 15 minutes to bring to life an immersive story told in an incredible film that plays like a full-length feature. That is certainly true for the completely engaging, GETAR HERO, which stars Shashank Arora. From the minds of the creative team of Teddy Stern and Sneha Mehta (aka Sneddy), this slice-of-life short film is a reimagined Western set in modern-day Bombay. It seems an odd combination, but the merging of a classic Hollywood Western with the backdrop of India and notes of Bollywood really, really works in Getar Hero.
The story follows the journey of a lone cowboy who arrives at a crowded train platform in Bombay only to find his guitar and wallet gone. With his livelihood in jeopardy, he navigates the streets of the city as he searches for a solution. Chance encounters lead to risks and rewards, but where does his road eventually lead? You have to see the film to find out!
Directed by Teddy Stern and written by Sneha Mehta and Teddy Stern, the film is incredibly captivating from the first frame to the last note. Shot on location in Bombay, Getar Hero immediately immerses you in the world of this Cowboy in the big city. You are not just watching him but feel you are with him from the train to the shop and studio, on the streets, through his entire hero journey, right up to his final destination. It is mesmerizing.
As the Cowboy, Shashank is absolutely brilliant. There is not much dialogue, but his eyes speak even more lines, and you feel every emotion. There are so many moments that harken to the Cowboy in the Western films of old. Two of my favorites are the hat tip and the close-up of the finger twitches classically seen in old Westerns before a gun draw, and Shashank is so real on the reel in these moments. His pitch-perfect performance makes the film.
The scene that is my favorite in the film finds the Cowboy in a recording studio, and what happens there is pure music magic. I don’t want to spoil anything, so that is all I will say on that. I must list the incredible musicians who joined in the song: Harmonium-Dharmendra Varma, Vocals-Keshav Baruah, Sitar-Prasad Rahane, and Tabla-Tausif Khan. A Tabla makes every song better in my opinion, and it works with this classic, iconic Country song. (No! No spoilers!) Add the fact that Shashank once again proves his talent by singing and playing guitar during the scene and is incredible. You can feel how the moment overtook everyone in the studio. Thanks to masterful movie-making, the audience also feels every note. Outstanding!
Shout-out also to the terrific special appearances by Rajesh Balwani and Manoj Sharma. Their moments were short, but they added so much.
I thoroughly enjoyed Getar Hero, and there are so many moments that have stayed with me. That is a lot of impact for a “short film”. I wanted so much more after the last surprising moment and the fade to black. When I talked to Teddy Stern and Sneha Mehta earlier this week, I asked about the possibility of more, and they said they hope it can be developed into a full-length feature one day soon. To that, I say I can’t wait!
Be sure to check out the interview with Sneddy; here. It is also not to be missed.
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