Nitin Chandrakant Desai (6 August 1965 – 2 August 2023) was an Indian art director, production designer, and film and television producer. He was most known for his work in Marathi and Hindi Films, World Cultural Festival 2016 at Delhi and films like, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan (2001), Devdas (2002), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015). During his career spanning twenty years, he worked with directors like Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In 2002, he turned film producer with Chandrakant Productions' Desh Devi, a devotional film on the Devi Mata of Kutch. Desai won National Film Award for Best Art Direction four times, and Filmfare Best Art Direction Award three times. In 2005, he opened his ND Studios spread over 52 acre at Karjat, Navi Mumbai, near Mumbai, which has since hosted films like Jodhaa Akbar, Traffic Signal as also Color's reality show Big Boss. For his contribution to cinema, he was included in the "In Memoriam" segment at the 96th Academy Awards ceremony in 2024.

Early life and education

Desai was born in Mulund, Bombay, Maharashtra on 9 August 1965. He attended school at Wamanrao Muranjan High School, Mulund in a Marathi Medium. He studied photography at the J.J. School of Art and L.S.Raheja school of arts, in Mumbai, before joining the films.

Career

Desai first went to Mumbai's Film City Studios in May 1987, and immediately switched from the 2-D format of still photography to a 3-D world of art direction. He joined noted art director, Nitish Roy as a fourth assistant for the period TV serial, Tamas (1987), directed by Govind Nihalani. Thereafter he worked TV series, Kabir for five-and-a-half years, series Chanakya for the first 25 episodes, and took over independently from the 26th episode onwards. His first feature film was Adhikari Brothers's Bhookamp in 1993, but it was Vidhu Vinod Chopra's period film, 1942: A Love Story in 1994 that got him noticed. Over the years he has worked in films such as Parinda, Khamoshi, Maachis, Baadshah, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Raju Chacha, international projects like Salaam Bombay!, Amok (a French film directed by Joel Farges, which won Desai a Pri Genie nomination), Jungle Book, Kama Sutra, the Canadian film Such a Long Journey and Holy Smoke. He also created two sets for Slumdog Millionaire 2008 film, which include the set of Kaun Banega Crorepati scene, incidentally he had also designed the set for the Star Plus TV series, and an interiors set of the Taj Mahal. He turned film producer in 2003, with devotional film, Desh Devi Maa Ashapura. Situated on the outskirts of Mumbai at Karjat, the ND studios was opened in 2005 by him. Spread over 52 acre, later Reliance Entertainment picked up 50 per cent stake in the studio for about Rs 1.50 billion. He turned to producing TV series, with Marathi serial Raja Shivchhatrapati, which became a big hit. In Marathi, he has produced a biopic movie Balgandharva released in May 2011. He has also produced a reality TV show Marathi Paul Padte Pudhe, which provides a platform for young talent. Concept is similar to America's Got Talent. Desai was reportedly working on Amol Gupte's Sapno Ko Ginte Ginte. After producing Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur (2009) television series, he was reportedly producing historic TV series, Taj Mahal and Baji Rao Mastani. In 2011, he also debuted as a lead actor by the Marathi film Hello Jai Hind directed by Gajendra Ahire. Most of Desai's successful work as an art director was in period films, as can be seen by the fact that all four of his National Film Award for Best Art Direction awards have been for period films.

Death

Desai died by suicide in Karjat, Maharashtra, on 2 August 2023. He was 57.

Filmography

As actor

As director

As producer

As art director

As production designer

Awards and nominations

National Film Award for Best Art Direction

Filmfare Best Art Direction

IFA Best Art Direction Award

Screen Awards – Best Art Direction

Maharashtra State Film Awards – Best Art Direction

Genie Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design