Mumbai: Nitin Desai one of the architect of Ramoji Film City died by suicide

Hyderabad: Top art director and production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai died by suicide at Karjat, ND Studios on Wednesday morning. He was found hanging in his studio.

The exact details of the cause of death are yet to be shared by the police. A probe into Desai's death from all angles is currently underway.

Nitin Desai had an illustrious career spanning two decades, during which he collaborated with eminent filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Nitin Desai was honored with several National Awards for Best Art Direction, earning recognition for his exceptional work in films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan, and Devdas.

In 2005, Nitin Desai established ND Studios in Karjat, an impressive facility sprawling across 52 acres. This studio hosted numerous movies, including Jodha Akbar, Traffic Signal, and the reality show Bigg Boss.

Beyond his remarkable artistic contributions, Nitin Desai also delved into acting and directed the Marathi film 'Hello Jai Hind!' He even acted in the Bollywood film 'Daud.' His contributions to cinema and art will be cherished and remembered by the industry and his fans alike.

It is said that the art director and his ND Studio have been facing financial problems for some time now. Reports said during the initial days of his career, he, worked with Ramoji Film City. He was one of the architects of the film city. He made it the best facility and filmmakers from across the country came to shoot in Hyderabad. Ramoji Rao had entrusted him with work on the film city project.

He was the creative genius behind the awe-inspiring sets of iconic Bollywood films such as 1942: A Love Story, Devdas (2002), Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010), among others. His exceptional artistry extended to the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008) as well.