Content Warning: This article contains references to suicide.
Bollywood’s celebrated art director, production designer and producer, Nitin Chandrakant Desai, passed away on August 2. According to the reports, he died by suicide at the age of 57. Desai was found dead at his ND Studio in Karjat. The unfortunate news of Desai’s passing away has sent shockwaves through Bollywood and the entire Indian film industry. The four-time National Award winner has worked with A-list directors in an illustrious career that spanned over 20 years.
Ashutosh Gowariker, Ketan Mehta, and Anees Bazmee react to Nitin Chandrkant Desai’s demise
Director Ashutosh Gowariker who has worked with Desai in his magnum opus projects like Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar, spoke to Pinkvilla as he reacted to the tragic news. He also informed us that he is reaching Karjat, where Desai’s ND Studios is located. Gowariker, who was at a loss for words, said, “Stunned. Shocked. No words. On the way to ND Studios, Karjat.”
Filmmaker Ketan Mehta too expressed shock and sadness about Nitin Desai’s unfortunate demise. He told us, “I have heard about his demise and I am shocked. We worked together on quite a few films Aar Ya Paar, Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India, Mangal Pandey… it has been a long association and an incredible talent. I am still shocked. He’s not the kind of person who would give up so easily because he was very dynamic, enterprising and a very talented man. There are plenty of memories but I am still in a state of shock. But yes, truly fond memories. May his soul rest in peace.”
Anees Bazmee, who worked with the late art director in his 1998 Kajol and Ajay Devgn-starrer film, Pyaar Toh Hone Hi Tha, recalled fond memories of working with the “genius”. While speaking to Pinkvilla, Bazmee said, “It is so shocking and so sad. I can’t believe that this has happened. We have worked together on Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha. The plane set that he had created, you should have come and seen that set – how he created it. He was a genius. Apart from that, whenever we used to make films, we would always go to ND Studios thinking we would get a lot of space options to shoot there. Nitin and I used to meet quite often. A few months ago, when I was there, he called me and said, ‘Anees bhai, I heard that you are in my studio.’ I said ‘yes’. He was like, ‘Please feel free, it’s your home. Please let me know whatever you need and if you want anything to be done.’ He was a very happy person. I never felt that he would have been under any pressure or any problem. That is why it is so shocking.”
He added, “As an art director he made so much progress, and made a name for himself. He made such a huge studio, it was a big thing. I am very sad.”
Who was Nitin Chandrakant Desai?
Nitin Chandrakant Desai was an art director, production director and producer in Bollywood. He completed his schooling at Wamanrao Muranjan High School, a Marathi medium school in Mumbai’s Mulund. After finishing school, he studied photography at the coveted J.J. School of Art and L.S. Raheja School of Arts in Mumbai.
The films and directors Nitin Chandrakant Desai worked with
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 had worked with some of the best directors of Bollywood. For the unversed, in 2002, Desai turned into a film producer with Chandrakant Productions’ Desh Devi, a devotional film based on the Goddess of Kutch.
Nitin Desai won four National Awards
Desai had won many accolades. He was the four-time winner of the National Film Award for Best Art Direction. Carrying on his career, Desai opened ND Studios which is spread over 52 acres at Karjat. They have hosted movies like Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai-starrer, Jodhaa Akbar and Kunal Kemmu’s Traffic Signal as well as Salman Khan’s reality show Bigg Boss.
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.
