MUMBAI: Celebrated art director known for his opulent film sets and four times National Film Awards winner Nitin Desai was found dead in a suspected case of suicide at his ND Studios in Karjat about 60 km from Mumbai. He would have turned 58 a week later on 9 August.

According to the police they were called by the staff from the studio early in the morning after finding Desai hanging from a rope in one of the shooting floors of the production studio.

The police have for now registered a case of accidental death since no suicide note has been found on the spot, although they have found his phone and have sent it for further investigation. His body has been sent to JJ Hospital in Central Mumbai for postmortem. 

Unconfirmed reports say that before his death Desai recorded some statements and have named a few people in them. Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police, Raigad told reporters that they were investigating from all angles.

A local MLA from Karjat, Mahesh Baldi has however said that Desai had most probably died by suicide due to financial crisis. Baldi said that the financial crisis at Desai's studio was going on for many days due to which he was under immense pressure. 

Nitin had a loan outstanding to the tune of Rs 250 crore taken for his company ND’s Art World Private Limited and since the business was not doing very well post covid he was struggling to manage the debt. 

Last week the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted a petition filed by Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company to initiate a corporate insolvency resolution process against Desai’s company which would have resulted in insolvency proceedings for recovery of dues. According to his associates perhaps this would have been mentally taxing on him, forcing him to take drastic steps.

Desai was best known for collaborating closely with filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker and Sanjay Leela Bhansali for films like Lagaan and Jodha Akbar, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Bajirao Mastani.

Film personalities were shocked on hearing the news of his demise and several of them took to social media to condole the demise of the celebrated art director. Hema Malini, Madhuri Dixit, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Manoj Bjpayee and many others tweeted their shock and grief at his passing away.