Art World Mourns Tragic Loss of Nitin Desai – Renowned Art Director Found Dead in Mumbai Studio
Visionary Creator, Nitin Desai, Found Dead in Studio; Film Fraternity Stunned by Possible Suicide Amid Financial Struggles
Image Source- India Today
The Bollywood was left in shock yesterday when the lifeless body of the acclaimed Art Director Nitin Desai, 57, was found hanging in his studio located in Karjat, Mumbai. “It looks like a suicide case, but we are investigating all angles,” according to the Officer on duty.
His last rites will be performed at his studio, where he crafted mesmerizing sets for several Hindi and Marathi films. His untimely death has sent ripples across the industry, leading to an outpouring of grief and tributes from numerous famous personalities and film stars on various social media platforms.
Speculations about the motive behind his alleged suicide point to financial troubles that the director had been grappling with for the past two years. As per reports from the Press Trust of India (PTI), Desai was struggling to repay a massive loan of INR 252 crore to creditors. Last week, his company, ND’s Art World Pvt Ltd, faced an insolvency petition before a bankruptcy court. The loans, amounting to INR 185 crore, were availed from ECL Finance in 2016 and 2018, and repayment issues arose from January 2020 onwards. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) noted that the total default amount reached INR 252.48 crore as of June 30, 2022.
Responding to the financial distress, Nitin Desai reportedly cited a devastating fire incident at his studio on May 7, 2021, which resulted in substantial property loss. Consequently, financial creditors had sought district authorities in Raigad to take possession of ND Studio several months ago.
His close friend and BJP National general secretary, Vinod Tawde, said, “I used to often speak and counsel him. I had told him how Amitabh Bachchan had faced immense losses and come back in life again.” He even advised Nitin that even if his studio was attached due to loans, he could start fresh. Many famous personalities and film stars expressed their shock on his demise and paid tribute on their various social media handles.
The illustrious career of Nitin Desai spanned numerous iconic films, including the likes of “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,” “Bajirao Mastani,” and “Panipat.” His artistic brilliance earned him multiple accolades, with four National Film Awards for Best Art Direction (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lagaan, Devdas, and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam) and three Filmfare Best Art Direction Awards (Devdas, Khamoshi, 1942: A Love Story).
Desai was a renowned art director; he had worked on a number of Hindi and Marathi films and extensively with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, creating magnificent sets for many of his films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Bajirao Mastani. The last film that he served as the art director was the 2019 war epic drama Panipat, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.
The illustrious career of Nitin Desai includes numerous iconic awards, including the National Film Award for Best Art Direction four times (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lagaan, Devdas, and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), and the Filmfare Best Art Direction Award three times (Devdas, Khamoshi, 1942: A Love Story).
As the film fraternity mourns the demise of this visionary artist, Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar has postponed the release of his forthcoming movie trailer as a mark of respect for the industry’s profound loss. Nitin Desai’s legacy will forever live on through his timeless contributions to the world of cinema.
-Varuni Gupta
Team Profile
Latest entries
News2 September 2023R Madhavan Replaces Shekhar Kapoor and Becomes President of FTII
English2 September 2023Ex-ISRO Chief K. Sivan Appointed as Chairman at IIT Indore’s Board of Governor
Defence2 September 2023Indian Navy Launches Mahendragiri: Latest Warship in Mumbai
News1 September 2023US: Georgia Declares October as ‘Hindu Heritage Month’
