Leading art director Nitin Desai committed suicide this morning (2nd August) by hanging himself at his own ND Studios at Karjat near Bombay. The reason for his extreme step is not known. He would’ve turned 58 on 9th August.
Among the films he had designed the sets for are Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Maachis, 1942 A Love Story, Lagaan, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, and Jodhaa Akbar. Although he got his break as an independent art director with Adhikari Brothers’ Bhookamp, he came into the limelight with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1942 A Love Story. He entered the world of art direction by assisting Nitish Roy in TV serial Tamas. He had designed two sets in Hollywood film Slumdog Millionaire, including the set of the Kaun Banega Crorepati scene. He was also the art director of popular television show Kaun Banega Crorepati.
In 2002, he turned film producer with Chandrakant Productions’ Desh Devi, a devotional film on the Devi Mata of Kutch. He turned to producing Marathi TV serials with Raja Shivchhatrapati which became a huge hit. He produced Marathi film Balgandharva in 2011. He also produced a Marathi reality TV show Marathi Paul Padte Pudhe. He had produced TV serial Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur. He was currently producing TV serials Taj Mahal and Baji Rao Mastani.
Nitin Desai debuted as a lead actor in Marathi film Hello Jai Hind, directed by Gajendra Ahire. At the time of his death, he was working on Amol Gupte’s film, Sapno Ko Ginte Ginte.
He won the National Award for best art direction four times. He started his ND Studios, spread over 52 acres of land, in 2005.