EXCLUSIVE: Legendry cinematographer Ashok Mehta’s life and legacy to be chronicled in Amit Ashar’s coffee table book

Ace still photographer Amit Ashar is working on a book on the life and legacy of legendary cinematographer Ashok Mehta, Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned. The coffee table book traces Mehta’s filmmaking journey and his phenomenal career through a remarkable collection of photographs captured by Ashar over the span of more than three decades.

Set to release in late 2026, the book features exclusive, unseen photographs, complemented by personal write-ups from some of Indian cinema's most respected filmmakers and celebrities Mehta has closely worked with. Together, the visuals and words aim to celebrate Mehta’s enduring influence on Indian cinematography and the legacy he has left along.

Mehta started off as a runway hooker and ended up as a National Award-winning cinematographer. He was one of the highest-paid technicians of his generation and worked with both art-house and mainstream commercial filmmakers, leaving a distinct visual signature on every project he touched. His most-acclaimed work credit includes Aparna Sen’s 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981), Shyam Benegal’s Mandi (1983), Gulzar’s Ijaazat (1987), Girish Karnad’s Utsav (1984), Subhash Ghai’s Ram Lakhan (1989), and Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen (1994), among others.

Amit Ashar has been developing this book for a year now. He considers it a deeply personal tribute, as Mehta has been his mentor, leading light, and close friend. Over a span of 30 years, he captured rare, intimate, and behind-the-scenes photographs of the cinematographer working on various film sets. His forthcoming book is being defined as an extensive archive that brings together both iconic and lesser-seen moments from his journey.

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