Jal Mistry

Jal Mistry Biography

Jal Mistry was an ace and legendary cinematographer who worked in Hindi cinema, who predominantly worked in the classic era of 1950s-1970s. He has been a part of many legendary and iconic films on Indian screen, and is best known for his association with Chetan Anand and Navketan Films. Jal Mistry enjoyed celebrity status during his professional career, and has worked with almost all leading filmmakers of his time. He is a recipient of most prestigious Filmfare award for best cinematographer four times. He won it for Baharon Ke Sapne (1968), Heer Raanjha (1971), Jheel Ke Us Paar (1974), and Kudrat (1982). He has been associated with both B&W and Colour films, and academy award nominated Aakhri Khat (1966) remains one of his best works in B&W.

He was born in the year 1923. His elder brother Fali Mistry (1917-1979) was also a leading cinematographer in the glorious era of Hindi cinema. Fali Mistry was a recipient of Filmfare awards twice for the movies - Guide (colour) (1967) and Fakira (1977). Mistry brothers made a name for themselves in Bollywood in the 1960s and 1970s, and both are counted among the best cinematographers of Bollywood all time.

Jal Mistry started his film journey with the early talkies in the 1940s. He marked his film debut with 1949 film, Barsaat starring Nargis and Raj Kapoor. Aandhiyan (1952), Uran Khatola (1955) and Heer (1956) are among his noted works in the 1950s. He turned a busy cinematographer in the 1960s, and also turned a producer with 1960 film, Bombai Ka Babu. Aakhri Khat (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967) and Humsaya (1968) are among his best works of the decade, and bagged his first Filmfare award through Asha parekh-Dharmendra starrer Baharon Ke Sapne in 1967. He continued his work till late 1990s. Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate released in 1998 was the last movie of the legends - Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Jal Mistry.

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Updated: June 29, 2018