Mumbai: Tragic news has emerged from Khalapur Raigarh, near Karjat, as renowned art director Nitin Desai was discovered deceased at his ND Studio. The shocking incident unfolded just days ahead of his 58th birthday on August 9.
Mahesh Baldi, a BJP MLA representing Karjat, confirmed that Nitin Desai took his own life due to severe financial hardships. Baldi revealed, “Nitin Desai’s ND studio falls within my constituency, and he had been grappling with a financial crisis for some time. Regrettably, he committed suicide at ND Studio this morning.”
#WATCH | Maharashtra MLA Mahesh Baldi confirms the death of 'Lagaan' art director Nitin Desai, says, "He was under financial stress and this could be the only reason for suicide."
"We have found the body of art director Nitin Desai hanging in his studio in Karjat. Police were… pic.twitter.com/RIl0vjgOc5
— ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2023
Meanwhile, Somnath Gharge, the Superintendent of Police in Raigad, stated, “We are conducting a thorough investigation from all possible angles.”
Nitin Desai’s tragic passing occurred at 4:30 am on August 2. Authorities observed a police van entering the premises of ND Studios.
Nitin Desai had established himself as a prominent art director, renowned for crafting opulent sets for blockbuster films like ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,’ ‘Devdas,’ ‘Jodha Akbar,’ and ‘Lagaan,’ among others. Over his illustrious 20-year career, he collaborated with esteemed directors including Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In 2002, he ventured into film production with Chandrakant Productions’ ‘Desh Devi,’ a devotional film centred around the Devi Mata of Kutch. In 2005, he established ND Studios, sprawling across 52 acres in Karjat near Mumbai, which served as the backdrop for notable productions such as ‘Jodha Akbar,’ ‘Traffic Signal,’ and the reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ on the Colors channel. He was awarded the National Award for Best Art Direction four times in his career.
Before his death he had last posted on Instagram to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the film ‘1942: A Love Story,’ which he art directed.
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