Nitin Desai death: Maha CM Shinde pays his respects ahead of art director's last rites

Renowned art director Nitin Desai, who created sets for blockbuster films like Lagaan and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday, August 2, at his studio in Maharashtra’s Raigad district neighbouring Mumbai, a police official said. On Thursday, his mortal remains were kept at JJ hospital in Mumbai for last respects.

3 things you need to know

• Nitin Desai was found hanging at his ND Studios, about 50 km from Mumbai.
• Desai, 57, served as an art director and production designer for a number of Bollywood and Marathi movies. 
• The art director had defaulted on a Rs 252-crore loan to its financial creditor.

Nitin Desai to be laid to rest 

After post-mortem, Nitin Desai's mortal remains were kept at the JJ hospital. They will be handed over to Desai’s family on Friday. His last rites will be performed at ND studios. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar paid their last respects to Desai at JJ hospital in Mumbai. 

In a video shared by ANI, Shinde and Pawar offered garlands to Desai's mortal remains and folded their hands as a mark of respect.

Nitin Desai defaulted on a big loan

The art director had defaulted on a Rs 252-crore loan to its financial creditor, and a bankruptcy court admitted an insolvency petition against his company last week. Nitin Desai’s company, ND’s Art World Pvt Ltd, had borrowed Rs 185 crore through two loans from ECL Finance in 2016 and 2018, and troubles with repayments started from January 2020.

(Nitin Desai was a 4-time National Award winner | Image: Nitin Desai/Twitter)

His company is engaged in the business of organising, maintaining, operating replicas of historical monuments and providing facilities and services related to hotels, theme restaurants, shopping malls and recreation centres.

Desai was known for his art work in films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan, Jodhaa Akbar and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. In his career spanning over 30 years, Desai closely worked with directors like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowariker.
 

(With PTI inputs)