[1] He won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography twice, 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) and Moksha (2000), the latter he also directed.

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.

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.