Nitin Desai, Art Director for notable films like Lagaan & Jodhaa Akbar, found dead at ND Studio

New Delhi: At his ND Studio in Khalapur Raigarh, close to Karjat, on August 2, art director Nitin Desai was discovered dead.

Art Director #NitinChandrakantDesai Dies Allegedly by Suicide at #NDStudios in Karjat #NitinDesai #RIP #Nitin #Entertainment https://t.co/IwklptoqQ7

— LatestLY (@latestly) August 2, 2023

Mahesh Baldi, a BJP MLA for Karjat, said that the death of Nitin Desai was a suicide brought on by his family’s financial difficulties. “Nitin Desai’s ND studio comes in my constituency, the financial crisis was going on for many days and due to that, he committed suicide in ND studio this morning”, he added.

Initial reports suggest he died by apparent suicide, while the authorities have yet to provide any information concerning the reason for his death. The police have arrived at the scene to conduct more research. Nitin allegedly committed suicide around 4 a.m.

Meanwhile, the police authorities have not yet released any official information on the circumstances of his death. A statement from Raigad’s police chief, Somnath Gharge said, “We are investigating from all angles.”

A sad news is pouring in from ND Studios, Karjat. Renowned art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai is found hanging there dead. He has allegedly committed suicide. #NitinDesai #NitinChandrakantDesai #NitinDesaiSuicide pic.twitter.com/I9p5RgQHOh

— Rahul Sisodia (@Sisodia19Rahul) August 2, 2023

About Nitin Desai

Nitin Desai won the National Award for Best Art Direction on four separate occasions. Devdas (2003), Lagaan (2002), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (2000) and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (1999) are among them. Over the course of his 20-year career, Nitin has collaborated with many Indian filmmakers, including Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ashutosh Gowarikar, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. His first film as a producer, Desh Devi (2002), a religious film about the Devi Mata of Kutch, was released under the Chandrakant Productions banner. In 2005, he created the 52-acre ND Studios in Karjat, near Mumbai, where productions including Jodha Akbar and Traffic Signal and reality shows like Bigg Boss have taken place.