Renowned art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai dies by suicide at 58 in Karjat

In a shocker, renowned art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai, 58, was found dead in a case of suspected suicide at his N.D. Studios In Karjat, Maharashtra, early on Wednesday.

Karjat (Maharashtra): Tragic news has emerged from the film industry as renowned art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai was found dead at his ND Studio here. Nitin died by suicide and as reported by some employees of the studio who discovered the distressing scene and immediately alerted the authorities. The police have since arrived at the location to investigate further.

The Karjat Police rushed to his studio for investigations and the cause of the suicide was not clear. The end came just three days before Desai’s 58th birthday on Sunday (August 6. Police were attempting to verify if he has left behind any suicide note at the studio or any other location.

Before making a name for himself in the Hindi film industry, Nitin Desai pursued his education at Mumbai's Sir J.J. School of Art and specialized in photography. His illustrious career began in 1987 and gained prominence with the movie 1942 A Love Story, which catapulted him into the spotlight. He continued to showcase his exceptional art direction skills in notable films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Lagaan, Jodha Akbar, and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

Over the span of two decades, Nitin Desai collaborated with esteemed directors such as Ashutosh Gowariker, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. His outstanding contributions earned him the prestigious National Film Award for Best Art Direction four times, along with the Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction three times.

In 2005, Nitin Desai established ND Studios, an expansive 52-acre property in Karjat near Mumbai. The studio has hosted notable films like Jodha Akbar and Traffic Signal, as well as Colors' popular reality show Bigg Boss. Withing Nitin's tragic death, the film industry has lost a talented artist. (With agency inputs)

(Suicide is not a solution. If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 9152987821, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)