Bollywood art director Nitin Desai’s initial postmortem reveals “death is due to hanging”

Raigad (Maharashtra) [India]: Postmortem of Bollywood art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai was conducted by a team of four doctors on Wednesday.

As per preliminary findings, the cause of death is due to hanging, Raigad Police said. Raigad Police said, “Postmortem of art director Nitin Desai has been conducted by a team of four doctors. As per preliminary findings, the cause of death is due to hanging. Further investigation is underway.”

Earlier the body of art director Nitin Desai was brought to JJ Hospital by Khalapur Police for postmortem.

Nitin 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.

Maharashtra MLA Mahesh Baldi said the celebrated art director behind ‘Lagaan’ was under financial strain. “He was under financial stress, which may have driven him to end his life,” Baldi said.

Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Somnath Gharge said, “His family members have told us that his last rites will take place at ND Studios. His body has been taken for postmortem to JJ Hospital,” he informed the media.

He also added that the investigation is going on, “The devices we have found at the location including mobile phones and other stuff and electronic devices have been seized and we are investigating them. We have also taken the statement of his caretaker and driver and doing the investigations.”

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.