Art Director Nitin Desai Dies By Suicide In His Studio

Renowned Art Director Nitin Desai Dies by Suicide in His Studio

Nitin Chandrakant Desai

Indian art director

Born: Mulund Railway Station, Mumbai
Arts directed: Jodhaa Akbar, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, MORE
Productions designed: Jodhaa Akbar, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, MORE
Awards: Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction, MORE
Siblings: Neetu Chandra

Art director Nitin Desai was discovered deceased at his N D Studio in Karjat. The police have not yet disclosed further details regarding the cause of his death, but initial reports suggest it may have been an alleged suicide. Authorities are currently on the scene to conduct a thorough investigation. The incident is said to have occurred around 4 am, and the police were alerted when they received a call from the studio. However, as of now, no suicide note has been found.

According to Somnath Gharge, SP, Raigad, “Today (2 August) morning, Shri Nitin Desai’s body was found hanging in ND Studios. We are investigating all angles.” It is speculated that the art director was facing financial troubles, and his studio was not doing well. Nevertheless, the police have yet to confirm these speculations.

Nitin Desai enjoyed a remarkable career spanning two decades, during which he collaborated with eminent filmmakers such as Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

His journey as an art director began in 1989 with his debut film, Parinda. Subsequently, he contributed to numerous other noteworthy projects, including 1942: A Love Story (1993), Khamoshi: The Musical (1995), Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Mission Kashmir (2000), Raju Chacha (2000), Devdas (2002), Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003), Dostana (2008), and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010). In his last Bollywood projects as an art director, he worked on Panipat (2019) and Paurashpur (2020), where he was credited as the production designer.

Throughout his career, Nitin received four National Awards for his exceptional work, recognized in films such as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (1999), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (2000), Lagaan (2002), and Devdas (2003). Additionally, he ventured into directing in 2011 with the film Hello Jai Hind, in which he also acted. He later directed Ajintha in 2012 but did not return to the director’s chair after that. In 2008, he took on the role of a producer, working on Raja Shivchatrapati and 2018’s Truckbhar Swapna.

In 2005, Nitin established his studio, ND Studios, in Karjat. The studio served as a prominent venue for several films, and one of its significant highlights was being the venue for Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss. Moreover, it was utilized for Major Lazer’s Lean On.