A good ol’ rag to riches story is always provides inspirational
fodder – particularly when those stories have a combination of hard work,
desire to excel and a tenacious, never-say-die attitude in them. And if all
these qualities are displayed at the bottom rungs of the social ladder, the
tale works even better at motivating those who are not so hard off in life.
This is the story of a young man who defied conventional logic
and thinking that you need diplomas and degrees to succeed in life. It is the
story of Ashok Mehta – one of India’s greatest cinematographers, who
astonishingly never had any formal training in a subject as complex as
photography. And yet, went on to become such an experienced master of the field
that his techniques are followed even today, his mastery over composition,
lighting and camera movement admired even now.
In his film career, he won the National Film Award for
cinematography twice – for 36 Chowringhee Lane in 1981 and for Moksha In 2000
(a film he had also directed). Besides these, his name stands against a body of
work that would do anyone proud – Bandit Queen, Utsav, Ijazzat, Mandi and
Trikaal among so many other commercial successes too.
While it is known that he was born in Punjab the year India
got her independence, little is known of how and when he came to Mumbai.
As a young man, his first attempt at sustaining himself was
with a stall where he sold boiled eggs on the streets of Mumbai to make a
living. Later, when he discovered that margins of profit were better in selling
watermelons, he switched to those…anything that would make him an extra buck to
keep the roof over his head.
One day, while he pushed his cart of watermelons on the
streets of Mumbai, he stumbled onto a film shoot. As expected, a small crowd
had gathered in the area and Ashok Mehta wondered what the fuss was all about. His
curiosity though, encouraged him to linger on…and what he saw mesmerized him so
much, that he resolved to work in a film studio some day.
The opportunity came soon enough – when he heard of a job
available as a canteen boy in one of the film studios in Bombay. He jumped at
this god-sent opportunity – for it was here that he came in touch with people
from the film industry, saw the craft of cinema practiced daily. And slowly but
surely, became acquainted with its different departments.
Whenever he met somebody of even minor importance in the film
studio, he would not hesitate to take an interest in their work, strike up a
conversation and even ask, if there were opportunities for him. After a few months of carrying plates
and tea cups around, his efforts did bear fruits, marginally though…when he
took the job of an office boy in one of the offices at the film studio.
His job profile became a bit more respectable (after all,
people would be more forthcoming with knowledge or in trusting their equipment with
an office peon than a canteen boy). And that’s exactly what happened. Ashok
Mehta found the doors of Bollywood opening slightly when he managed to get the
job as a camera coolie (Perhaps his dexterity in carrying plates and cups without
breaking them in the canteen job had come in handy in the vocal resume he
provided).
Now he was actually carrying these mysterious cameras with
their different lenses, the marked boxes with specific filters, tripods and
other paraphernalia. It was an intriguing, exciting world that beckoned him to
learn more…and learn he did. He developed a voracious appetite for all things
related to photography. He’d pick up books from pavement sellers, strike up
conversations with camera store owners for mundane information like
specifications, talk to assistant cameramen about the craft itself and where to
get the relevant information.
As his knowledge increased, so did his standing in the
hierarchy of camera management – from camera coolie, he became camera attendant
and finally, the fancy title of camera caretaker. Throughout this journey, his hunger for
knowledge remained insatiable – he now began studying the masters of
photography in India and abroad, started watching foreign films where he studied
their lighting closely.
Soon names like Hitchcock and Henri Cartier Bresson became
second nature to him and he would willingly share the information he’d garnered
with his fellow camera attendants. His growing knowledge of the field impressed
many, and soon enough, he became Sudershan Nag’s Camera Assistant for the film “Trishna.”
It was a matter of just six months of learning and applying
the principles he’d learnt in that position for him to gain the confidence of
the film industry. Soon, Ashok Mehta was
at the helm of the camera for an independent film, called Witness starring
Shashi Kapoor. Though it never saw the light of day, his work on it had
sufficiently impressed Shashi Kapoor to recommend him to other producers and
directors.
And from then onwards, Ashok Mehta’s work consistently reached
new heights, setting standards for others to emulate and immortalizing his name
in the Indian film industry as its greatest cinematographer.
Do check out this song from Utsav, a film produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad, where Ashok Mehta's lighting of this period drama does full justice to the glory of India from a bygone era.
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