>Drill it at 20:01, 29 June 2021

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{{Short description|Indian film cinematographer}}
{{about||the Indian Army general|Ashok K. Mehta|the Indian freedom fighter and socialist politician|Asoka Mehta}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ashok Mehta
| image = Ashok Mehta 2013 stamp of India.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Ashok Mehta on a 2013 stamp of India
| birth_name = | birth_date = 1947 
| birth_place = [[Punjab, India]]
| death_date = {{Death date|df=yes|2012|08|15|}} (age 64)
| death_place = Mumbai, India| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for =
|years_active=1978–2011
| occupation = [[cinematographer]]
}}
'''Ashok Mehta''' (1947 – 15 August 2012) was a noted national film award-winning [[India]]n film cinematographer, known for films such as ''[[Bandit Queen]]'' (1994), ''[[36 Chowringhee Lane]]'' (1981) and ''[[Utsav]]'' (1984).<ref name=zee/> He won the [[National Film Award (India)|National Film Award]] for [[National Film Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] twice, ''[[36 Chowringhee Lane]]'' (1981) and ''[[Moksha (2001 film)|Moksha]]'' (2000), the latter he also directed.

He worked both with directors of mainstream Bollywood, like [[Subhash Ghai]] (''[[Ram Lakhan]]'' (1989), ''[[Saudagar (1991 film)|Saudagar]]'' (1991)) and [[Rajiv Rai]] (''[[Gupt: The Hidden Truth|Gupt]]'' (1997)), [[Mukul Anand]] (''[[Trimurti]]'' (1995)), as well as [[parallel cinema]] directors, like [[Shyam Benegal]] (''[[Trikaal]]'' (1985), ''[[Mandi (film)|Mandi]]'' (1983)), [[Aparna Sen]] (''36 Chowringhee Lane'' (1981), ''[[Paroma]]'' (1984)). He also worked on films, including [[Shekhar Kapoor]]'s ''Bandit Queen'' (1994), [[Girish Karnad]]'s ''[[Utsav]]'' (1984), [[Gulzar]]'s ''[[Ijaazat]]'' (1987) and [[MF Hussain]]'s ''[[Gaja Gamini]]'' (2000).<ref name=toi12>{{cite news |title=Cinematographer Ashok Mehta passes away |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-15/news-interviews/33216398_1_subhash-ghai-film-school-cinematographer-ashok-mehta |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103071545/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-15/news-interviews/33216398_1_subhash-ghai-film-school-cinematographer-ashok-mehta |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 January 2013 |date=15 August 2012 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref>

Early in 2012, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. While he was getting treated for Lung cancer, he was diagnosed with brain tumor. Despite the surgery and cancer, he never stopped working as movies and cinematography was his passion and first love. He succumbed to cancer in Mumbai on 15 August 2012, at the age of 64.<ref name=zee>{{cite news |title=Ace cinematographer Ashok Mehta passes away,|url=http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/and-more/ace-cinematographer-ashok-mehta-passes-away_117220.htm |publisher=[[Zee News]]|date=15 August 2012 |accessdate=21 August 2012}}</ref>

Ashok Mehta's journey is a rags to riches story. He ran away from home at the age of 14 and came to Mumbai. With no money, no acquaintance and no shelter he had nowhere to go and to survive he started selling stuff like boiled eggs, fruits etc. His Journey in the Bollywood started as a canteen boy, office boy and then a camera attendant. After a decade-long struggle in the Indian film industry, he finally became the DOP. He got his first break as a cinematographer at the age of 25 in Raj Marbros' ''The Witness''. He credits his actual career boost to the reigning star of the 1970s, Shashi Kapoor. Kapoor, who was starring in a film being shot by Mehta, was greatly impressed by his work and even though the film did not get made eventually, it won Mehta the favor of Kapoor, who offered him his next production, ''36 Chowringhee Lane''. The next step for Mehta was to establish himself in mainstream cinema and this opportunity came through actress Rakhee. It was during the filming of ''Paroma'' that Rakhee got acquainted with Mehta and his work, but it was years later when Subhash Ghai, leading director of the popular film scene, was on the lookout for a cameraman for his mega-project ''Ram Lakhan'', that she suggested the name of Mehta. Ashok Mehta then stepped onto the popular film scene and with the collaboration of Ghai, brought to popular cinema an altogether different style of lighting and shot taking. He is lovingly known as the "guiding light"in Bollywood.

==Filmography==
;Director
''Moksha'', also known as ''Moksha: Salvation'', is a 2001 release. Ashok Mehta launched Arjun Rampal in Bollywood with this movie.

The story is about law graduate Vikram Saigal (Arjun Rampal) who is not happy with his lot at all. He is very idealistic and wants to battle corruption and society and change the world.

A young girl, Ritika (Manisha Koirala) takes a fancy to him and goes all out to woo him, at first he rejects her advances and eventually he gives in after she presents him with an expensive painting and they become a couple.

His idealism includes him wanting to set up a "free for the poor" law service, but he finds it impossible to find any other like-minded lawyers. His boss and his father (Suresh Oberoi) think he's too young and naïve to fully understand the implications of giving free legal services and he becomes more and more disillusioned and plans how to rob a bank to get money to set up his free legal institute.

Together with Ritika he hatches a plot to rob a bank. But soon after, Ritika develops cold feet and dissuades Vikram from carrying out the robbery. On the day of the bank robbery, a lady informs the bank authorities about the burglary and the officials get on a high alert.

Thereafter, Ritika is found dead and all fingers point towards Vikram. A courtroom battle ensues. Vikram successfully defends himself by fighting his own case. After the verdict Ritika's best friend tells him that it was she not Ritika who had informed the bank authority of the plan of robbery. Drenched in guilt Vikram tries to kill himself but can't seem to do that as well. So he decides to rob the bank again, this time with an empty pistol. He goes to the bank on a seemingly suicide mission, robs the bank and gets shot fatally while coming out.
* [[Moksha (2001 film)|Moksha]] (2000)

;Cinematographer
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* ''[[Hamare Tumhare]]'' (1979)
* ''[[36 Chowringhee Lane]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Mandi (film)|Mandi]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Paroma]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Utsav]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Andar Baahar]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Trikaal]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Susman (film)|Susman]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Ijaazat]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Ram Lakhan]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Sati (film)|Sati]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Saudagar (1991 film)|Saudagar]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Khalnayak]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Bandit Queen]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Trimurti (film)|Trimurti]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Gupt: The Hidden Truth|Gupt]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Pukar (2000 film)|Pukar]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Gaja Gamini]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (film)|Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Moksha (2001 film)|Moksha]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Aankhen (2002 film)|Aankhen]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Dil Ka Rishta]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Chalte Chalte (2003 film)|Chalte Chalte]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Kisna: The Warrior Poet]]'' (2005)
* ''[[No Entry]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Waqt: The Race Against Time|Waqt]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Family (Hindi film)|Family]]'' (2006)
* ''[[I See You (2006 film)|I See You]]'' (2006)
* ''[[God Tussi Great Ho]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Mehbooba (2008 film)|Mehbooba]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Shortkut]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Hum Tum Aur Ghost]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Teen Thay Bhai]]'' (2011)
}}

==Personal life==
;Ashok Mehta lived with his wife [http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fstars.topnews.in%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fnirja-mehta.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fstars.topnews.in%2F247026-neerja-mehta-pay-tribute-her-husband-ashok-mehta&h=661&w=425&tbnid=joU3btHtQbsovM%3A&zoom=1&docid=qbwwtSR_FSupXM&ei=7BlYU5KzOsG5rge4roGYAg&tbm=isch&ved=0CFoQMygIMAg&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=1519&page=1&start=0&ndsp=50 Neerja Mehta] and his son [http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdrop.ndtv.com%2Falbums%2FENTERTAINMENT%2Fashok-mehta-prayer%2F8-ashok-mehta-family.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmovies.ndtv.com%2Fphotos%2Faishwarya-at-prayer-meet-for-ashok-mehta-13638%2Fslide%2F8&h=500&w=700&tbnid=JXjVQDXNWLicTM%3A&zoom=1&docid=nXEPoTME8F5QiM&ei=UhZYU7fALomYrgehoICYAw&tbm=isch&ved=0CFoQMygKMAo&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=616&page=1&start=0&ndsp=39 Ved Mehta]

==Awards==
* [[National Film Award (India)|National Film Award]] for [[National Film Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]]:
** [[29th National Film Awards|1981]]: ''[[36 Chowringhee Lane]]'' <ref name="29thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/29th_nff_1982.pdf|title=29th National Film Awards|format=PDF|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]}}</ref>
** [[48th National Film Awards|2000]]: ''[[Moksha (2001 film)|Moksha]]'' <ref name="48thawardPDF">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/48th_nff_2001.pdf|title=48th National Film Awards|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|format=PDF}}</ref>
* [[Filmfare Award]] for [[Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer|Best Cinematographer]]
** 1997: ''[[Bandit Queen]]'' <ref>[http://deep750.googlepages.com/FilmfareAwards.pdf List of Filmfare Award Winners and Nominations, 1953–2005]</ref>

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0576543}}
* [http://www.cinematographers.nl/PaginasDoPh/mehta-ashok.htm Ashok Mehta, Biography] ''Cinematographers Encyclopedia''

{{National Film Award Best Cinematography}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehta, Ashok}}
[[Category:Hindi film cinematographers]]
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:2012 deaths]]
[[Category:Cinematographers from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:Best Cinematography National Film Award winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian photographers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian photographers]]

Ashok Mehta - Revision history

>Drill it at 20:01, 29 June 2021