Nitin Desai, top Bollywood art director, found dead

Bollywood's popular art director, Nitin Chandrakant Desai, was discovered dead in his studio in Raigad district, Maharashtra, as the police reported today. Desai, aged 58, took his own life, according to officials.

According to police sources, Desai was found hanging in his studio in Karjat, prompting an immediate response from the authorities. A probe into Desai's death from all angles is currently underway, an official told the news agency PTI.

Born on January 25, 1965, in Dapoli, Maharashtra, Desai embarked on his career as an assistant art director for the television film "Tamas" in 1987. Later, he worked on television series, such as "Kabir" (1988-1990) and "Chanakya" (1991), before making his independent art direction debut in 1991 with "Chanakya".

Photo: Collected

Throughout his career, Desai continued to make a mark in the television industry with contributions to series like "Bharat Ek Khoj" (1992-1993), "Kora Kagaz" (1993), and "Swabhimaan" (1995-1996). In 1999, he made his Bollywood debut as an art director with the film "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", setting the stage for an impressive lineup of successful projects, including "Lagaan" (2001), "Devdas" (2002), "Swades" (2004), "Jodhaa Akbar" (2008), and "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" (2015).

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Desai's exceptional work garnered praise from both critics and audiences, earning him four National Film Awards for Best Art Direction and three Filmfare Best Art Direction Awards. His immense contribution to the Indian film industry was recognised when he was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2016, one of India's most prestigious civilian awards.

As a testament to his talent, Desai established ND Studios, a renowned film and television production facility in Karjat, Maharashtra. He even ventured into film production, bringing forth the movie "Desh Devi" in 2002. Known for his intricate detail and historical accuracy, his sets created some of the most iconic and memorable scenes in Bollywood history.