Behind The Screen: Meet Sandeep Sethy Who Hasn’t Looked Back Since His First Break In ‘Shoot-out At Lokhandwaala’
Falling in love with actors comes easy. Seeing them on screen, in the best of costumes, amidst dazzling sets or exuberant visuals, with the perfect music in the backdrop, singing the most romantic number on earth or dancing like a dream, who would not end up adoring these larger-than-life characters?
However, more than often, we forget that it takes hundreds of people to work together in sync to create these characters and breathe life into the screen. Technicians, as they are known, are the backbone of a film industry yet the spotlight is never on them.
We, at My City Links, salute the spirit of this hard-working community across all film industries while bringing our exclusive BEHIND THE SCREEN series, highlighting the inspiring real-life stories of a few Odia technicians who have made it large in Bollywood. It’s time these unsung heroes get the limelight.
Sandeep Sethy (EDITOR)
Sandeep Sethy considers himself very fortunate for the simple reason that six months after coming to Mumbai in 2007 – when he got his first break as an assistant editor in the film, ‘Shoot-out At Lokhandwaala’ – he has been working non-stop every single day!
“I have just completed my fifth film as an independent editor and to everyone reading this out back home in Odisha, I want to request them all to go and watch the film, ‘My Birthday Song’, which is set to release on January 19th. Directed by Sameer Soni, it’s a beautiful film and I can vouch for it,” says Sandeep as he starts talking about his journey in tinsel town with My City Links.
A resident of Boinda, Angul, Sethy is today a well-known Editor, not just in films but also national and international TV commercials. He came to Mumbai in 2007 after passing out from Biju Patnaik Film and Television Institute in Cuttack. “I did a three-year course in film-making, with specialisation in film and video editing. Right after passing out, I decided to leave for Mumbai. It was not an easy decision since I had no one from my family or friends in the city. But thankfully, my seniors from the institute out there in Mumbai helped me get some contacts.”
Recalling his first six months in Mumbai, he shares, “I still remember we used to get this book, Film India, for Rs. 300 and I had bought it because it had contact numbers of all relevant people, production houses and studios. So, I used to make calls everyday asking for work and finally I got a chance to work as an assistant editor for Shoot Out At Lokhandwaala.”
Sandeep was always sure he wanted to start work in films only. “That was what my dad had asked me to, when I left for Mumbai,” he smiles.
‘Shoot-out’ was a memorable experience for him since it was his debut project and that too a multi-starrer. “It was like a dream come true, seeing so many stars together. I felt as if I am done!”
Though overwhelmed with the experience of his first film, there was no stopping him after that and Sandeep went on to work in 14 films as an assistant editor besides doing multiple TV commercials. But the turning point for Sandeep came when he was working on Dabbang. “That was the film where I was handling many songs and action sequences independently. And, that was when I took the decision that Dabbang would be my last film as an assistant and I would now focus only on independent projects,” remarks Sandeep.
Dabbang, however, did give Sandeep a priceless memory! “It was my mom’s birthday and I requested Salman Khan to wish her and he was sweet enough to do it on phone. My mom was thrilled to bits,” recalls Sandeep with a smile even as he shares the only film star he considers family in Mumbai is Jimmy Shergill. “He is like an elder brother to me,” says Sandeep.
Post Dabbang, Sandeep’s first break as an independent editor was a short film, “The Informer” by Kiran Deohans, who Sameer, considers his mentor in Bollywood. “That film changed my career because it became like a show reel for me on the basis of which I kept getting more projects. The best part was getting an award as Best Editor for the same film in Suspense Thriller Category at Bangkok Film Festival in 2014.”
While his first TV commercial as an independent editor was a Johnson’s ad, his first film was Mumbai 125 Km, which was a 3D horror film. Sandeep has also worked in an Odia film, Kebe Tume Naha, Kebe Mun Nahi and also a Telugu film as an editor. That apart, he has done many TV ads including international commercials at Tanzania, Dubai and Malaysia.
“The other project, close to my heart is, Teaspoon, yet another short film which went viral, went to all leading film festivals and which also fetched me the Dada Saheb Phalke Award,” informs Sandeep.
While Sandeep is happy with the way his 10-year-old journey in Mumbai has unfolded, he believes he still has a long way to go. “Ever since I became an independent editor, I feel I have become more responsible as a person. I understand that there are expectations from me and I have to deliver. So, I pray that I keep doing the good work in future as well.”.jpg)
Ask him what would be his message to youngsters back home who want to work in Mumbai and he says, “I am always ready to welcome all my juniors from Odisha to work with me, so they can be assured they have someone to help them around. But one thing is they need to have patience. You have to wait for the right time and opportunity will strike, sooner than later.”