B'wood art dir Nitin Desai found dead in Raigad studio, police suspect suicide

MUMBAI : Bollywood art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai was found dead in his studio in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, police said on Wednesday. According to police Desai’s body was found hanging in his ND studio in Karjat, some 80 km outside Mumbai.

"Police were informed by a worker on the set. When police team reached the studio we saw his body hanging. We are investigating the case further for ascertaining all the aspects in this case," Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Somnath Gharge said

Maharashtra MLA Mahesh Baldi said that 'Lagaan' art director was under financial strain. "He was under financial stress and this could be the reason for suicide," Baldi said.

Desai was noted for his innovative studio design and had collaborated with filmmakers like as Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He was famed for his work in movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (2000), Lagaan (2002), and Devdas (2003), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015). He had won three Filmfare Awards for Best Art Direction and four National Film Awards for Best Art Direction.