Renowned art director and producer Nitin Chandrakant Desai has died by suicide. He was the art director for movies like 'Lagaan', 'Devdas', and 'Jodhaa Akbar' among others.
'Lagaan' art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai breathed his last on Wednesday (August 2) morning. He reportedly committed suicide. As per reports, the art director who was also a production designer ended his life at his studio in Karjat. He was the owner of the ND Studios. Desai was 57.
A report in ABP states that financial crisis and debt are being speculated as the cause of his suicide.
As per the same portal, police sources revealed that Desai went to his room at 10 pm last night and didn't come out for a long time this morning. Then his bodyguard and other people knocked on the door but no one opened the door. His body was found hanging from the ceiling fan. Police were then informed and they removed the body and sent it for post-mortem.
As per reports, Raigad Superintendent of Police Somnath Gharge said, "At 9 am today, the body of Nitin Desai was found hanging with a rope at ND Studios. We are investigating it from all angles".
Nitin Chandrakant Desai was born in Dapoli. He studies at the J.J. School of Arts and L.S.Raheja School Of Arts and was trained in photography. He made his debut as an art director in 'Bhookamp' by the Adhikari Brothers that released in 1993 but it was Vidhu Vinod Chopra's directorial '1942: A Love Story' that made him popular in the industry. He then worked as an art director for several movies like 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', 'Devdas', 'Lagaan', 'Jodhaa Akbar', 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo', 'Once Upon a Time in Mumbai', 'Dostana', 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai', 'Munnabhai MBBS', and others. In 2008, he also got the opportunity to design the set of 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
Nitin Desai was awarded the National Film Award for Best Art Direction four times and he bagged the Filmfare Best Art Direction Award three times.
May his soul rest in peace and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.