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The news of art director Nitin Desai's reported suicide amid financial troubles startled filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar. Unable to comprehend the sad event, Bhardarkar says that Desai had organized an opulent wedding reception for his daughter.
"In 2017, I last collaborated with him on Indu Sarkar, and the pandemic also intervened. Still, we remained in touch. We used to communicate with one another frequently via calls or messages. In fact, I only recently met him with Ashutosh Gowariker, Bhandarkar reveals, adding that they even got in touch after the success of Babli Bouncer (2022) and decided to work together once more.
The four-time National Award winner Desai was discovered hanged at his ND studio in Karjat on Wednesday, according to the police.
"We all met him when his daughter got married," the 54-year-old continues. Over a thousand guests attended the spectacular wedding held inside the studio. I find it incomprehensible that he is no longer here. He was outgoing and sociable, and he established himself in a variety of fields, including Marathi and Hindi.
According to reports, Desai had missed payments on a loan of 252 crore rupees to his company's financial creditor, and a bankruptcy court last week accepted an insolvency suit against his business. When asked if he ever noticed the late director was having financial difficulties at the wedding, Bhandarkar replies, "No, nothing, it was usual. The wedding was quite expensive. He was ecstatic and behaved exactly as a parent would when his daughter was getting married. Everything appeared to be ideal.
The director also adds that Traffic Signal was one of the first movies to be shot at ND Studio. He has collaborated with Desai on four films: Fashion (2008), Jail (2009), Indu Sarkar (2017), Traffic Signal (2007), and so on.
When I told him at the time that I didn't have a large budget for it, he gave me assurance and created a set. At the time, he was also working on the 2008 film Jodha Akbar. He used to focus on that contrast. He was the one who designed the elaborate runway for Fashion and the jhopdis for Traffic Signal, the man says, adding, "I never saw him tense or depressed. He used to experience some work-related stress, but nothing like that.
He was a game changer in terms of art, says Bhandarkar, lamenting the loss. He collaborated with all of the best directors and added great variety to the medium. It has been a significant loss.
