Content Warning: This article contains references to suicide.
The unfortunate news of renowned art director, Nitin Chandrakant Desai, has left the entire entertainment industry shocked and shattered. The noted art director and production designer passed away on Wednesday, August 2. Desai’s dead body was found at his ND Studio in Karjat, where he reportedly ended his life by hanging. While the autopsy report of the art director confirmed that the cause of his death was ‘by hanging’, however, the probe is still on and the police are investigating the matter from various angles.
Although the detailed autopsy report is still awaited and several reports claim that Desai was going through a financial crisis, the Raigad police are examining if there was any external or internal crisis or factor involved that pushed Desai to take such a drastic step. Now, according to a media report, the police have found an audio file on the late art director’s phone, that mentions four names and that same four people will be soon summoned by the police for interrogation.
Police find four names on Nitin Desai’s phone
According to a report by TOI, the renowned art director left behind a ‘recorded suicide message’ in which he revealed the names of four people. Apparently, the numbers of the same four people were also saved on Desai’s phone. As per the police, the people whose names are found in the audio file might be the reason why Nitin found himself in a financial crisis. Meanwhile, the probe is underway and a forensic team has confiscated Desai’s phone for detailed examination.
Nitin Desai was reeling under a financial crisis
As per various media reports, the esteemed art director was burdened by a huge amount of debt of over Rs 250 crore. According to news agency, IANS, Desai and his wife Naina had availed a loan of Rs 150 crore in 2016, followed by another loan of Rs 31 crore in 2018. Things became worse by 2019 when he started delaying payments. By June 2022, his total debt amount doubled to Rs. 252 crore.
About Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Nitin Chandrakant Desai was a celebrated art director and a production designer in Bollywood. In a career spanning over 20 years, the late art director worked in blockbuster films such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan, Devdas, and Jodhaa Akbar to name a few. From Sanjay Leela Bhansali to Ashutosh Gowariker, and from Rajkumar Hirani to Vidhu Vinod Chopra, in his illustrious career as an art director, Desai worked with some of the best directors of Bollywood. He was a four-time national award winner.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help.
