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Fali Mistry

Fali Mistry

Personality.Cinematographer
On this Page
Introduction
Filmography16
Research Centre176
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Library1Archive175
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Home/1_CinemaEducation/Personality · Actor/Fali Mistry
Fali Mistry — featured artwork

Introduction

Fali Mistry (1919-1979) was an Indian cinematographer, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema from the 1940s until his demise in 1979. Although Mistry built his reputation as a cinematographer, he also directed three films - Jan Pehchan (1950), Sazaa (1951) and Armaan (1953). He started as an assistant cinematographer under Rustom. P. Master in Toofani Tarzan (Homi Wadia, 1937). His first film as a cinematographer was Mata (Dada Gunjal, 1942). Working in both black & white and colour films, Mistry came to be known for his work on the landmark film Guide (Vijay Anand, 1967), for which he won the 1967 Filmfare Award for Cinematography. Starting with Guide, Fali Mistry started a long-term collaboration with Navketan Films as a cinematographer in many of their films including Prem Pujari (1970), Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), Heera Panna (1973), Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974), Des Pardes (1978).

Influenced by Hollywood Film Noir and European cinematic styles, Fali Mistry, along with his younger brother, Jal Mistry, pioneered the technique of diffused lighting and low-key dramatic lighting in night scenes creating glamorous images for Indian cinema. His work inspired the generation of noted cinematographers after him, most importantly V.K. Murthy (1923-2014), who had shot India's first cinemascope film, Kaagaz Ke Phool (Guru Dutt, 1959). Mistry's work in Nagin (1954) is noted for its high-contrast lighting through the use of diffusers to create a graphic art like composition.

Fali Mistry was married to actress Shyama (1935-2017) and was the elder brother of Jal Mistry (1923-2000), another renowned Indian cinematographer. He passed away at the age of 60 in 1979.

No personalia records available yet.

Filmography 16

Mela, Cinematographer, 1948
Mela | Hindi | Cinematographer
1948 | Feature | Fiction | Black and White | India
Jan Pehchan, Producer, Director, 1950
Jan Pehchan | Hindi | Producer, Director
1950 | Feature | Fiction | Black and White | India
Babul, Cinematographer, 1950
Babul | Hindi | Cinematographer
1950 | Feature | Fiction | Black and White | India
Sazaa, Director, 1951
Sazaa | Hindi | Director
1951 | Feature | Fiction | Black and White | India
Arman, Producer, Director, 1953
Arman | Hindi | Producer, Director
1953 | India
Nagin, Cinematographer, 1954
Nagin | Hindi | Cinematographer
1954 | Fiction | India
Taj, Producer, 1956
Taj | Hindi | Producer
1956 | India
Chandan, Producer, 1958
Chandan | Hindi | Producer
1958 | Feature | Fiction | Black and White | India
Guide, Cinematographer, 1965
Guide | Hindi | Cinematographer
1965 | Fiction | India
Neel Kamal, Cinematographer, 1968
Neel Kamal | Hindi | Cinematographer
1968 | Feature | Fiction | Colour | India
Johny Mera Naam, Cinematographer, 1970
Johny Mera Naam | Hindi | Cinematographer
1970 | Feature | Fiction | Colour | India
Heera Panna, Cinematographer, 1973
Heera Panna | Hindi | Cinematographer
1973 | Feature | Fiction | India
Joshila, Cinematographer, 1973
Joshila | Hindi | Cinematographer
1973 | Feature | Fiction | Colour | India
Jaaneman, Cinematographer, 1976
Jaaneman | Hindi | Cinematographer
1976 | Feature | Fiction | Colour | India
Darling Darling, Cinematographer, 1977
Darling Darling | Hindi | Cinematographer
1977 | Feature | Fiction | Colour | India
Ram Balram, Cinematographer, 1980
Ram Balram | Hindi | Cinematographer
1980 | Feature | Fiction | India

Research Centre

Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
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B.K. Karanjia (Editor), Filmfare, 1970, Magazine
Karanjia, B.K. (Editor). Filmfare, 13 March 1970 | Magazine | 00793423
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Photographic Still
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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Fali Mistry (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948, Lobby Card
Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Lobby Card
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20 of 175

Calendar 1

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  1. A Brief Visual History of Indian Cinematography
    ArchivedExhibitionProject 23
    A Brief Visual History of Indian Cinematography
    Selections from the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies Collection
    20th - 24th January 2026
    11:00am
    Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Francaise de Delhi, 72 K.K. Birla Lane, Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110003
    Presenting selections from the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies Archives, this exhibition traces the visual history of Indian cinematography, foregrounding the craft, technologies, and aesthetic choices behind the camera, from Dadasaheb Phalke to Faredoon A. Irani, Fali and Jal Mistry, to VK Murthy and Govind Nihalani.
    Read More →
    1_CinemaEducation·3_Photography

Related

19

Films

16

Arman 1953Film Producer · Film Director
Babul 1950Cameraman
Chandan 1958Film Producer
Darling Darling 1977Cameraman
Guide 1965Cameraman · Comparable Artworks
Heera Panna (1973)Cameraman
Jaaneman 1976Cameraman
Jan Pehchan 1950Film Producer · Film Director
Johny Mera Naam 1970Cameraman
Joshila 1973Cameraman
Mela (1948)Cameraman
Nagin (1954)Cameraman
Neel Kamal 1968Cameraman
Ram Balram (1980)Cameraman
Sazaa (1951)Film Director
Taj 1956Film Producer

Personalities

3

Dev AnandComparable Artworks
Jal MistryComparable Artworks
Waheeda RehmanComparable Artworks
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Tuli Research Centre

for India Studies

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              Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still | CinemaEducation | 00886283

              Mistry, Fali (Cinematographer), Mela, 1948 | Photographic Still

              CinematographerFali Mistry
              Document TypePhotographic Still
              Film TitleMela, 1948, India, Hindi
              ProducerS.U. Sunny, Hila WadiaDirectorS.U. SunnyBannerWadia Films Ltd.
              Art DirectorV. Jadhav
              CastRoop Kamal, Dilip Kumar, Jeevan, Nargis, Chanda Bai, Noor Jahan, Abbas (i), Allauddin, Amar, Khalil, Rehman
              EditingM. Moosa
              LyricistShakeel Badayuni
              Music DirectorNaushad
              Copyright of ImageWith Producer | Archive Object

              Research Categories

              1_CinemaEducation

              Related Links4

              Masterlist3
              NargisCinema Photographic StillsFali Mistry
              Research Categories
              01Cinema as a Critical Educational Resource