Aug 3, 2023: Autopsy report says Nitin Desai died due to hanging
The post-mortem report of the body of acclaimed art director Nitin Desai has confirmed that he died due to hanging, an official said on Thursday. Desai was found dead on the premises of his N D Studios at Karjat in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Wednesday morning.
A post-mortem was conducted on his body by a team of four doctors at the state-run J J hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday night, he said. As per the post-mortem report, the death was due to hanging, said Somnath Gharge, Raigad superintendent of police.
The body has been kept at the J J hospital and it will be handed over to Desai’s family on Friday, he said. Desai’s last rites will be performed at N D studios on Friday, he said.
Aug 2, 2023: Celebrated art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai has tragically taken his own life at the age of 58. Sources have informed ETimes that Desai, a renowned art director and production designer, ended his life at his studio in Karjat, where he owned ND Studios. Further details about his untimely demise are still awaited.
Throughout his 20-year career, Nitin Desai collaborated with esteemed filmmakers such as Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He was the creative mind behind the sets of iconic Bollywood films like “1942: A Love Story,” “Devdas” (2002), “Lage Raho Munna Bhai” (2006), and “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai” (2010), among others. His last project as an art director was the 2019 film “Panipat,” directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Desai also contributed to the sets of the Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008). He received numerous National Awards for Best Art Direction, including for his work on “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,” “Lagaan,” and “Devdas.”
In 2005, Nitin Desai established the acclaimed ND Studios in Karjat, spanning across 52 acres. This iconic studio has been the backdrop for numerous films including “Jodha Akbar,” “Traffic Signal,” and the reality show “Big Boss.” Desai also dabbled in acting and was credited as an actor in the Bollywood film “Daud” and the Marathi movie “Hello Jai Hind!” which he also directed.
Last month, Nitin Desai performed a pooja at his studio in preparation for the upcoming festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. He was also working on the decoration for the pandal of Mumbai’s iconic Ganpati mandal, Lalbaugchya Raja. Additionally, Desai was busy with a new show centered around Maharana Pratap, which was being prepared for release on an OTT platform.