Ashok Mehta

Ashok Mehta Biography

Ashok Mehta was an ace cinematographer associated with Bollywood. He was a winner of National award for best cinematography twice. He won the award for the movies - 36 Chowringhee Lane in 1981 and Moksha in 2000. Bandit Queen (1994), 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) and Utsav (1984) are his highly acclaimed Bollywood projects, which gave him international appreciation as well. Known for his extreme talents, he was equally successful in mainstream cinema as well as offbeat movies and loved by directors belonging to both genres. Shortcut, Hum tum aur ghost and Teen Thay Bhai are among his last releases.

Among the commercial works his best known movies include Trimurthi, Dil Ka Rishta, Chalte chalte (2003), Aankhein (2002), Pukar, Khaknayak, Saudagar and Gupt. Among the offbeat movies – apart from national award winning movies, his best works are Andar Baahar, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mandi, Trikaal, Gaja Gamini, Ijaazat etc. He has been associated with Showman of Bollywood Subhash Ghai for the movies – Saudagar, Ram lakhan and Khalnayak and all of them have been commercially successful. Kisna: The Warrior Poet is also another noted Subhash Ghai project with Vivek Oberoi in the lead role. In 2000, he directed one Bollywood movie Moksha with the chartbuster song – Janleva. He has also done a few south Indian movies.

Lal Kothi in 1978 was his first movie as an independent cinematographer. However it was actor Shashi Kapoor who gave him the first big break to Bollywood. 36 Chowringhee Lane gave him National award, cementing his position in Bollywood. Shyam Benegal’s Trikal and Mandi established him as a favourite of offbeat movie makers. Later he got associated with both art and commercial movies of Bollywood.

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Updated: July 23, 2014