Forty days after the registration of an FIR against the staffers of Edelweiss ARC for abetting the suicide of renowned art director Nitin Desai, no arrests have been made. According to highly placed sources in Raigad police, the suspects are not at their residences and their phones are switched off. The accused have approached the high court to quash the FIR but as of now, no interim relief has been given to them. Legal experts said further delay will weaken the case.

Desai, 58, allegedly committed suicide by hanging inside his N D Studios, Karjat on August 2. After the body was found, Neha Desai, his wife, gave a complaint to the Raigad police that officials of Edelweiss ARC (Asset Reconstruction Company) had been harassing the art director over a loan of Rs 181 crore which led to his death. Based on the complaint a FIR was filed by the Khalapur police against five Edelweiss officers—CEO R K Bansal, Chairman Rashesh Shah, Smit Shah, Keyoor Mehta and interim resolution professional Jitendra Kothari.

After the registration of the FIR, Raigad Superintendent of Police Somnath Gharge, constituted a special team led by Vikram Kadam, deputy superintendent of police, to investigate the matter. It comprised an inspector, three assistant inspectors and four constables. The team summoned the managing director of the company to furnish documents related to the loan given to Desai. After three rounds of questioning, he wasn’t summoned again.

“While scrutinizing documents, we have received a lot of important evidence. There is also solid proof that pinpoints some of the accused,” said a highly placed source in the Raigad police. “Thousands of pages have been scrutinized by the police, most of them were related to the accounting of the loans but some of them have given us vital clues as well,” he added.

Meanwhile, cops found all the accused in the cases had switched off their cellphones and gone incommunicado. “We are figuring out their whereabouts. We can’t say as of now whether they are absconding but we can surely conclude they are not being found,” an officer added.

The team that visited the homes of the accused has made a note of their absence in the station diary. A highly placed source said, “For the past 20 to 25 days, despite conducting rigorous searches, the accused haven’t been traced. The search party has visited the places multiple times and various means of tracing are being conducted.” Gharge, the Raigad SP, told mid-day, “I can’t comment anything about the case as of now, as the matter is being investigated.”

Senior advocate Satish Maneshinde said that arresting any person in the case is the right of an investigating officer. “As far as this case is concerned, the accused have approached the court for relief and hearings are being conducted. I don’t think the delay in the arrests in this offence will hamper any investigation as retrieval of documents and electronic records is always possible. The victim here has left a lot of evidence and that needs to be examined. This is not a simple case. He appears to have been under pressure. What that pressure was will be disclosed only after a thorough examination of the material available.”

Senior advocate Uday Warunjikar stated that the case of abetment of suicide should have proximity with the act done by the accused. “The act done by the accused will have to be investigated and then proximity with the suicide should be the test. Delay on the part of police may prove fatal in such cases,” he said.

According to senior advocate Himanshu Marathkar, delay in arrests or investigations increases the risk of evidence tampering, which may lead to the wrong set of individuals being implicated. “Accused individuals or their associates may have the opportunity to destroy, alter or manipulate evidence, making it more challenging to establish the facts of the case. This underscores the importance of swift action to secure critical evidence. Time is a critical factor in investigations and arrests in cases like suicide. In the context of this specific case, if the delay is prolonged and not justified, it may indeed weaken the prosecution’s position. It’s essential for the authorities to strike a balance between conducting a thorough investigation and promptly moving the case forward to avoid undue delays that might hinder justice.”

He added, “The passage of more than a month after the FIR was filed without any arrests or seizures indicates that the investigation is being approached cautiously. It’s possible that the police are in the process of gathering strong evidence before making any arrests. Given the involvement of company officials, the case might be complicated with layers of bureaucratic and legal complexities. The high court not granting any interim relief suggests that the matter is being taken seriously, but it’s also not indicative of guilt. It just means that the court hasn’t seen sufficient reason to provide any relief to the accused at this stage”.

Edelweiss Group claimed, in a statement, that “false and motivated allegations of harassment have been made against four very senior executives, most of whom were operationally distant to the entire transaction and two of whom may only ever have had a single interaction each with the deceased.”

“What was a legitimate exercise of a lender’s legal right to recover debt from a wilful defaulter, through lawfully instituted legal proceedings has been labelled as harassment in the FIR and the four respectable senior executives are charged with a most bizarre charge of abetment of suicide. In the case of similarly placed lenders, various high courts, including the Bombay High Court, have consistently held that seeking the repayment of a debt does not amount to an abetment of suicide. Based on this position, Edelweiss officers named in the FIR have challenged the FIR before the Bombay High Court by invoking the extraordinary jurisdiction of the court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India read with Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The last hearing was on September 7 and the matter is sub judice,” the statement read.

Edelweiss Group maintained that its officers have been fully cooperating with the investigation. 

Its reply to a question on the officials’ whereabouts read, “The group and its officers have also provided the investigating officer with all relevant and summoned documents and information spanning nearly 3,700+ pages to date. Edelweiss is committed to upholding its duty as a law-abiding corporate citizen and will continue to fully cooperate with the investigation.”

“Rashesh Shah is a sweet talker; he wanted to usurp the studio, which was setup for small and big movie makers. I called him 100 times and he didn’t respond. In fact, he filed a cheque bouncing case with the EOW, NCLT [National Company Law Tribunal] and Debt Recovery Tribunal and tortured me immensely,” an audio clip by art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai states, revealing his harrowing state of mind, before he decided to take his own life.

The Raigad Police have found 11 such voice notes from his phone, in which Desai speaks about Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company (EARC) chairman Rashesh Shah and other officials, and how they allegedly tortured and misguided him, even though he requested for a one-time settlement. 

“These murderous people are trying to kill a Marathi artist. They have compelled me to do something I never thought [I would do],” the clip goes on to state. The police has recorded 15 statements in the case so far, and Desai’s wife Neha has corroborated his ordeal.

According to his wife, Desai felt the studio would be taken away from him as New Delhi’s NCLT has rejected his appeal on July 25. Three days later, Jitendra Kothari, threatened to take charge of the studio with personal bouncers. The Raigad Police have booked five persons under various sections of the IPC. The director, MD of EARC have been summoned for questioning on Tuesday morning.

Navi Mumbai: The FIR registered by police on charges of abetment to suicide in art director Nitin Desai’s death names Rashesh Shah, Edelweiss ARC’s (Asset Reconstruction Company) non-executive and non-independent director, and its MD and CEO Raj Kumar Bansal as accused, among others, reports George Mendonca. Three others named as accused are Keyur Mehta and Smit Shah, of ECL Finance, a subsidiary of Edelweiss, and Jitendra Kothari, the administrator appointed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) as interim resolution professional.

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Navi Mumbai: Police said Edelweiss group’s MD Raj Kumar Bansal has been served a notice for seeking information and asked to visit Khalapur police station at 10am on August 8 to submit details.

Two days after film art director Nitin Desai allegedly died by suicide at his Karjat studio, his wife Neha registered an FIR of abetment to suicide at Khalapur police station on Friday. Several top executives of the Edelweiss group have been named.

In the FIR, Neha Desai has alleged the accused had pressured her husband to recover an outstanding loan and were attempting to take over his ND Film World Studio in Karjat for defaulting on loan repayment. Desai owed a total of Rs 252 crore to the creditor firm.

Edelweiss ARC’s company secretary Tarun Khurana stated the firm followed all legal processes as mandated by RBI and has not acted in any manner outside of the legal framework. “Neither was the interest rate charged excessive nor was there at any time undue pressure being put on the borrower for recovery,” he stated.

Edelweiss ARC further stated, “In order to clarify some misgivings, we would like to state that Nitin Desai’s company was extended financial assistance in 2016 and 2018 for setting up theme park and working capital. Desai’s company encountered financial difficulties since 2020 and various attempts to improve the financial situation of his company did not near fruit. Desai’s company was eventually referred to NCLT in 2020 and admitted in NCLT in July 2023. We will fully cooperate in the police inquiry.”

The investigating officer, Vikram Kadam, has also asked N D Studio’s legal advisor, financial advisor and accountant to furnish loan details. Statements of 15 witnesses have been recorded.

In the FIR, Neha Desai has stated Nitin Desai had taken a Rs 150 crore loan from ECL Finance in November 2016 and a Rs 35 crore loan in February 2018 and mortgaged ND Studio’s land with ECL Finance.

She has alleged that despite paying EMI regularly, in April 2019, ECL officials pressured Desai to pay 6 months’ EMI for May to October 2019 in advance. Desai sold his Powai office and paid advance EMI, the FIR has stated.

Thereafter, Desai regularly paid EMI till February 2020 but in March a crisis arose due to the pandemic. But according to her complaint, ECL’s Keyur Mehta and Smit Shah kept pressuring Desai for repayment. Desai even offered one-time settlement of loan as he had investors for N D Studios but the four accused officials of Edelweiss and ECL did not revert. She alleged Jitendra Kothari, appointed by NCLT as administrator, favoured ECL Finance to ensure it took possession of N D Studios.

As per his wishes, art director Nitin Desai’s last rites were performed at the helipad at his studio in Karjat, on Friday. Desai was given a 21-gun salute by the Raigad police as per the instructions of CM Eknath Shinde. Actor Aamir Khan, directors Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ashutosh Gowarikar and actress Sonali Kulkarni were the only celebrities spotted at the funeral.

Some other artistes from the Marathi film industry attended the funeral. However, no other associate of his from Bollywood attended it. Desai died by suicide at his studio on Wednesday morning. His funeral was arranged on Friday as his son and son-in-law were to arrive from the USA. Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar paid their respects to Desai at JJ Hospital on Friday morning. After that the mortal remains were taken to N D Studio, Karjat.

From 1 pm, the body was kept at the Agra fort set that was used in the movie Jodhaa Akbar for people to pay their last respects. Besides the actors mentioned, no other Bollywood stars came to pay their respects. “Dada (Nitin Desai) gave stars red carpet treatment. He never thought twice before fulfilling their wishes, be it about food or any other luxury,” said a close associate of Desai on condition of anonymity.

“Dada always remained a close friend to many stars. We had expected most of Bollywood to come, but the undeclared boycott of him continued even after his death,” he added.

A 21-gun salute by the Raigad police to the departed soul

Mumbai: Two days after art director Nitin Desai died allegedly by suicide at his sprawling studio in Karjat, five employees of the financial group he owed money have been booked for abetment to suicide.

His widow Neha Desai has submitted a written complaint to police alleging that employees of ECL Finance and the Edelweiss Group were pressuring her husband to recover an outstanding loan. Her complaint says Desai was fed up with the harassment and hence took the drastic step of ending his life. In all, Desai owed Rs 252 crore.

The Khalapur police had recorded an accidental death case. In the wake of her complaint, police have registered an FIR under IPC sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 34 (acts by several per-sons in furtherance of common intention) against the five accused staffers and others, said Raigad police.

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Mumbai: Film art director Nitin Desai’s firm ND’s Art World, which managed his studio, took a loan of Rs 150 crore in two instalments in 2016 and Rs 31 crore in 2018. Repayment had stalled since January 2020 and the pandemic had worsened the firm’s financial situation. The amount that was due included unpaid interest. In all, recovery due was Rs 252 crore. The National Company Law Tribunal in Mumbai had recently allowed a petition by the Edelweiss group to initiate corporate insolvency proceedings against ND Art World.

On Thursday, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had told the Maharashtra assembly that Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company's role in the incident would be probed.

The suicide abetment case is now being investigated by Vikram Kadam, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Khalapur.

Raigad additional superintendent of police Atul Zende said, “As part of the investigation into the abetment of suicide case, the accused will be summoned to Khalapur police station by the investigating officer for recording their statements.”

Zende added, “Before committing suicide, Nitin Desai sent 11 audio clips to his advocate Vrunda Kumbhar. We are awaiting the forensic lab report of those audio clips to verify his voice, which will provide vital evidence in the case.”

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The Raigad police on Friday said they have booked four officials of Edelweiss group for allegedly harassing and mentally torturing art director Nitin Desai, leading to his suicide. They will now be summoned for questioning, cops added. The FIR has been filed under IPC Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (common intention) at Khalapur police station based on the complaint lodged by Nitin’s widow Neha Desai.

“According to the written complaint given by Neha Desai, both the companies consistently mentally tortured Nitin Desai. The torture led to the suicide of the Nitin Desai,” Superintendent Somnath Gharge of Raigad police said.

Those booked are—Edelweiss Finance CEO and Chairman Rashesh Shah; Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) officials Keyoor Mehta, Smit Shah and R K Bansal; and Jitendra Kothari, an insolvency professional appointed by the NCLT, Mumbai.

“...soon the COVID-19 pandemic hit the entertainment industry and shoots were stalled. Nitin Desai knew this will lead to defaults and pilling up of interest. He contacted the borrowers and asked about a one-time settlement,” states the FIR. Nitin was ready to pay the settlement amount, but Edelweiss ARC kept postponing their meetings, according to the FIR.

“Nitin begged for settlement, but without intimating him, Edelweiss ARC went to NCLT and even to Raigad collectorate,” it adds. In 2019, Nitin sold is Powai office to pay off six months of EMI, according to the FIR.

Nitin’s company ND’s Art World Pvt Ltd had mortgaged a total of 43 acres of land, on which his ND Studio stands, and borrowed R185 crore through two loans from ECL Finance in 2016 and 2018. ECL Finance is a non-banking finance arm of the Edelweiss Group.

Later on, Art World’s debt was transferred to Edelweiss ARC, which had appealed in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for insolvency. Edelweiss had sent a proposal to the Raigad collector to seize the mortgaged land. The proposal has been pending before the collector for the past two months. Desai had named the officials in a voice note he had left, accusing Edelweiss ARC of trying to usurp his studio. 

It is alleged that on July 29, Jitendra Kothari told Nitin’s lawyer and Neha that he is sending his bouncers to “to look after” N D Studios.

Nitin told his wife that no new assignments are coming to the studio because of all this and hence they have incurred a loss of Rs. 100 crore, according to the FIR.

Navi Mumbai: Art director Nitin Desai was cremated on Friday evening amidst the sprawling and opulent sets he created at his studio in Karjat in deference to his last wishes.

Politicians Vinod Tawde and Kirit Somaiya attended the funeral at N D Studios along with film personalities Aamir Khan, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ashutosh Rana, Mukesh Rishi, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sonali Kulkarni and Aadesh Bandekar. Aamir Khan led the movie fraternity in paying tributes before the cremation close to the helipad inside the premises. He said, “I cannot believe such an incident happened.”

Tawde personally monitored the funeral arrangements, which included a police gun salute in the presence of Raigad SP Somnath Gharge. One of Desai’s assistants (from 1999-2002) turned politician, Jitesh Kamath, recalled Desai’s dream to raise ground-plus-four storey sets on the 52-acre studio campus.

Jitesh Kamath said, “There was a time when at least one set at any of the studios in Mumbai including Film City would be booked in Desai’s name. He had dreamt of something big and hence set up this studio to fulfil his wish.”

A close friend, Eknath Kadam, said, “ND Studio has catered to over 150 actors. I spent time with Desai during the early days.”

A local, Prashant Deshmukh, recalled, “Desai during his peak provided jobs to one member of each family of the nearby Hatnoli village. The N D Studios land was purchased in a phased manner.”

The N D Studios in February this year hosted the marriage ceremony of Desai’s daughter. His wife, three children and son-in-law were among others present at the funeral.

Desai’s wife, daughter, son and son-in-law

Landslide survivors shelter in the tents provided by Nitin Desai at Irsalwadi. Pic/Satej Shinde (right) Somnath Gharge, SP, Raigad

The Superintendent of Raigad police, Somnath Gharge, recalled the generosity of renowned art director Nitin Desai, who died by suicide on Wednesday. Gharge had got acquainted with him when he took charge some months back. For some strange reason, Gharge said, when he learnt of the Irshalwadi landslide, he could only think of Desai to seek help, and called him. The art director immediately sent four tents to the police. Karjat where Desai was based, working and living from his studio, is close to Irsalwadi.

“When we were hiking towards Irshalwadi, I saw the rescue teams walking too and asked them what we needed at the village. They told me they needed a canopy as the heavy rain was making it difficult for them to stand in one spot. The first name that came to my mind was Nitin Desai. I called Desai at 1 am and asked him if he had anything which could provide shelter from the rain. He immediately replied ‘I will send four tents which can be used as a base camp’,” said Gharge. “Exactly 20 minutes later I received a call from an officer that someone had sent tents. I was stunned with Desai’s presence of mind and attitude to help,” Gharge added.

Gharge also said that from day one of the incident, Desai made sure he or his men remained in touch with Raigad police or him, asking if they needed anything. “He was keen to host us at his studio and called every day. Then he was stunned by the work done by the police when responding to such a great calamity. Finally on the third day when the rescue operation was called off, Desai called and asked me to come to his studio. Me and 40 police officers went to N D Studios where Desai hosted us for lunch.”

“He took me to the sets which he had designed and talked passionately about Maharana Pratap and Akbar. He described their time, their similarities, differences, clothes they wore, armours they used. He also told us what he studied to get the complete idea of that era. I was stunned with his dedication and passion,” added Gharge.

“He heard about the calamity and discussed what he could do for the villagers. The couple of hours which we spent in the studio didn’t give us a clue that this man was disturbed to such an extent that he might end his life. He spoke about the upcoming shoot of the web series on Maharana Pratap which he believed could change his fate, but it didn’t happen,” said another police officer.

Relatives and friends of Desai at JJ hospital, where his post-mortem was conducted, on Wednesday night. Pic/Ashish Raje

Mumbai: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis told the state assembly on Thursday that the role of Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company would be probed in connection with the death of Bollywood art director Nitin Desai, report Priyanka Kakodkar and Clara Lewis. He owed the firm Rs 252 crore and had recently lost the case before the National Company Law Tribunal. BJP MLA Ashish Shelar had demanded the government probe the company’s role.

The Raigad police on Thursday sent 11 audio clips found after Desai’s death to a forensic lab to test for voice authenticity. The clips purportedly contain mention of names. Desai’s financial advisors have also been summoned for investigation.

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Mumbai: BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Thursday demanded the state government probe the role of Edelweiss ARC and chairman of the group Rashesh Shah in art director Nitin Desai’s death and alleged they were “modern money lenders”. He said he had details of two other cases involving the company and was ready to hand these over to the home minister.

“Shelar has raised some concerns about the ARC. That angle will also be addressed in the probe. It will examine whether some other kind of pressure was being put on Desai by ARC to gain control of his studio. Was he being forced?” deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday announcing a probe. He added, “It will examine whether he was being cheated and charged a rate of interest that was beyond the norm.” He said Desai had mortgaged his studio and was trying to pay off his debts.

Fadnavis also said, “A Marathi manoos had set up the studio. We will examine the legal position and see if the state can refurbish the studio or take it over to set up something in Desai’s memory.”

Earlier, Shelar alleged, “This is not the first such case involving Rashesh Shah and his company… The probe should not be limited to the suicide but should also examine the role of Edelweiss ARC, their interest rate, their manner of functioning and recovering loans. There is a fear that the common man will go towards suicide,” Shelar said.

He added, “I am speaking specifically about Rashesh Shah and this company. I have details of two other cases… A special team should be formed, if possible.” He said the probe was already examining an audio clip of a conversation between Desai and the company’s manager.

Congress’ Ashok Chavan supported the demand for a probe and said government should take over the studio “to pay homage to Desai.” “We should not allow the studio to be auctioned,” he said.

In the council, BJP’s Pravin Darekar demanded an investigation. He said, “About 3 months ago, he (Desai) had come to meet me at Vidhan Bhavan. He had taken a loan of Rs 150 crore. We held 2-3 meetings at our Mumbai Bank, but his account was already NPA. We could have helped him if it was a matter of Rs 10-15 crore and could have earned the blessing of having saved his life, but it was not to be. This regret will be with me,” he said.

Darekar said Desai had even met PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah and thereafter had got a huge contract in Rajasthan. “But the process for seizure had started and this Marathi manoos was disheartened,” he said.

He said he took Desai to CM Eknath Shinde and helped him get temporary relief for three months. But thereafter, there was pressure from ARC; Desai had been served notice for confiscation of the studio. “For someone who had risen from poverty, the thought that it (studio) could be seized had caused him restlessness. I had been trying to help him, met him a couple of times to find a way out, but for nearly 1-2 months I was not in touch with him and thought he had found a way out. The other day when I switched on the TV, I saw the news and I was stunned. The government must take over N D Studio and develop it further on the lines of Ramoji Studio. It should provide a platform for Marathi, Hindi artistes,” he said.

Navi Mumbai: Raigad police have sent 11 audio clips found after art director Nitin Desai’s death to a forensic lab to check for voice authenticity. The clips purportedly contain names. The financial advisors of Desai too have been summoned for investigation. The last rites of Desai will be held between 12 noon and 4 pm on Friday. He will be cremated inside the N D Studios, in keeping with his wish which he mentioned in an audio clip recovered by the police, said Raigad superintendent of p olice Somnath Gharge.

Several film personalities and TV artistes are expected to attend the funeral. In one of the audio clips, Desai apparently offers his “last respect to Lalbaugcha Raja” and in another he has purportedly said, “Taking (final) steps to g o towards Pandhari (Pandharpur).” Gharge said, “We have n ot kept any copy of the clips and have sent them to the lab. His cremation wish was recorded in one clip but not in any note or suicide note.” Umesh K Parida

Mumbai: A stream of visitors on Thursday arrived at Nitin Desai’s studio, only to return dejected after learning about his death. N D Studios, also known as ND’s Film World, was founded by Desai in Karjat in 2005. Hundreds of tourists visit the studio every day to have a look at the grand sets. Unaware of Desai’s death, several visitors turned up on Thursday. However, they had to return as the studio has been closed from Wednesday morning.

- PTI

Mumbai: The National Company Law Tribunal in Mumbai recently allowed an application by Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd to initiate corporate insolvency proceedings against noted art director Nitin Desai’s company ND’s Art World Pvt Ltd over a loan default.

Edelweiss filed the petition last year against the company, which managed his studio, N D Studios, at Karjat, for unpaid debts of Rs 252 crore. The firm had borrowed money in two instalments in 2016 and 2018. Repayments had stalled since early 2020 and the pandemic had worsened the company’s financial situation. Desai allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday.

“The Financial Creditor has successfully proved the existence of “debt” and “default” through the record of default issued by the NESL (National E-Governance Services Ltd),” said NCLT in its July 25 order passed by H V Subba Rao, Member (Judicial) and Anu Singh, member (Technical).

ND’s Art World was engaged in organizing and maintaining replicas of historical monuments and providing facilities and services related to hotels, theme restaurants, shopping malls and recreation centres, the NCLT order noted. Edelweiss said the dues amounted to over Rs 200 crore under the terms of the first loan agreement and almost Rs 49 crore under the second agreement. In 2016, Rs. 150 crore was disbursed with ND’s Art World, Nitin Desai, his wife Naina Desai and KND Investments and Finance Pvt Ltd as signatories. A second loan of Rs 31 crore was availed of in 2018. The amount due included unpaid interest. The account was classified as a nonperforming asset by ECL Finance Ltd.

The petition was originally filed by CFM Asset Reconstruction Pvt Ltd as a creditor under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and during its pendency the debt was reassigned to Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company. Opposing the petition, ND’s Art World had questioned Edelweiss’s rights to in voke the insolvency law. The NCLT order said ND’s reply made it "clear that the Corporate Debtor is neither disputing the “debt” nor the “default”. It added, "The Corporate Debtor did not raise any valid legal defence..."

NCLT had appointed Jitender Kothari as insolvency interim resolution professional. It prohibited transferring or sale of assets by Desai’s company, setting into motion a moratorium till completion of the insolvency process.

Desai, his wife Naina and their company ND’s Art World Pvt Ltd had mortgaged three land parcels amounting to 42 acres get the loan. Edelweiss’ special recovery officer had requested the Raigad collector to take possession of the land with the assets on it in September 2022. This process was completed in December 2022.

Raigad additional collector, Sandesh Shirke said, “We were hopeful that the parties would mutually resolve their loan issues. No progress was made on loan recovery through asset monetisation and also no further demand from the recovery officer was made.”

Mumbai: Nitin Desai's sprawling N D Studios outside Mumbai where movies like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Devdas', Ashutosh Gowariker's 'Jodhaa Akbar' and several Salman Khan starrers were filmed, was hit hard by two factors: subsidies offered in other states which began to draw film-makers away, and the emergence of OTT streaming services which banked on content shot on real locations rather than sets.

Heads of film trade associations like CINTAA and FWICE say film studios are seeing mixed fortunes at present. Birendra Nath Tiwari, president of FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees) said, "I am shocked to hear of my good friend's death. Desai had invited me to his daughter's wedding recently, but I was unable to go. I learnt about his financial problems today. He had 150-200 employees to care for, how does one pay salaries, electricity bills and utility charges if studios are not occupied. Film studios by and large are falling on hard times. Moviegoers have declined, so fewer films are being made."

Tiwari added, "N D Studios is located in faraway Karjat, so units are required to travel the distance, and stay there till they complete their work. Instead filmmakers prefer to travel out of Maharashtra to other states like Uttarakhand, J&K, MP and Chhattisgarh which offer vast subsidies up to Rs 2.5 crore. OTT units shoot outdoors so they do not hire studios."

Amit Behl, general secretary of CINTAA (Cine & TV Artistes Association) knew Desai for almost 30 years since the time the technician designed the sets for the serial 'Aa rohan' (1994-95). Behl said, "I stayed in ND Studio when 'Jhansi Ki Rani' was filmed there in 2011, and then during 'Asoka' in 2015-16. Its infrastructure had progressed greatly by then. I never saw it empty. TV serials, ads were shot there regularly." Behl said OTT, however, was not a source of revenue for studios “since these 6-8 episode shows are shot on location.”

“Most studios therefore depend on the television industry which is still booming. ND Studio was a favourite of certain production houses but these later built their own studios in Umbergaon and Amgaon,” added Behl. “And many film units began to opt for other states which offer subsidies. But studios that innovate and offer good services and amenities are still faring well."

Senior producer and exhibitor Manoj Desai, who is executive director of Gaiety-Galaxy G-7 Multiplex in Bandra, offered insight into how new technologies are rendering existing infrastructure redundant. He said, "I am distressed to hear of Nitin Desai's suicide. He was a very good friend. He owned two or three editing studios. But now, editing can be done right at the time of shooting. There is no need to do dubbing, no need to visit an editing studio. One simply records on a collar mic and edits it on the spot. And the task is done."

As word of veteran Bollywood art director Nitin Desai’s death got around, several personalities paid homage to his creative spirit. Television producer Siddhartha Basu, who collaborated with him on several shows, including the iconic Kaun Banega Crorepati (2000), tweeted that Desai conjured “world class installations on an industrial scale.”

Apart from films and TV shows, Desai was much sought after for organising state fun ctions for Maharashtra such as the Republic Day tableaus. He was to set up Mumbai’s popular Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati installation this year.

Actor and BJP MP Hema Malini remembered the art director as “a warm human being.” Actor Riteish Deshmukh described him as “soft spoken, humble, ambitious & a visionary” who had contributed “immensely to the growth of Indian cinema.”

As an art director first—and later in the more expansive capacity of a production designer—Desai elevated the projects he was associated with, especially those of film directors Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Gowariker.

There’s a harmony and continuity of palette in the way most scenes are crafted in Bhansali’s Hum Dil Chuke Sanam (1999). “A French production company called me up to find out where the location in the film was. I had to tell them the whole thing was a set built at Film City,” Desai said in a 2003 interview.

Bhansali’s Devdas was a visual custard of colours and opulence, and offered a contrast to the earlier film versions of Saratchandra’s novel portrayal of 19 century Bengal. Desai’s artwork turned colours into a language and helped Bhansali communicate his alternative vision. Just a year earlier, the art director had displayed his versatility in Gowariker’s anti-colonial cricket drama, Lagaan.

The terrain was totally different: the desert of Kutch where a famine looms. Desai’s production design of the village and surroundings is delightfully restrained, much in tune with the movie’s needs and mood. Just as he is pompish in the medieval tales of romance and valour, Gowariker’s Jodhaa Akbar and Panipat (2019). In his own way, Desai revolutionized art direction in Hindi cinema.

A student of photography at JJ School of Arts in Mumbai, he shifted to the world of moving images in the 1980s. Desai started out as a fourth assistant to the renowned art director Nitish Roy in Govind Nihalani’s telefilm, Tamas (1988), a searing tale on the horrors of Partition. He also assisted Roy in Shyam Benegal’s Bharat Ek Khoj and worked independently in the DD serial, Chanakya.

But he caught attention and found appreciation with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1942: A Love Story (1994), which underlined his eye for details and flair for the eye-catching. The film earned him the first of his three Filmfare Awards: Khamoshi: The Musical (1997), Devdas being the other two. He also bagged four national awards for production design: Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar’ (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan and Devdas.

In 2005, Desai set up N D Studios, a sprawling facility for filmmaking and television work, spread over 52 acres. It was his dream venture where many big projects such as mega reality tv show, Bigg Boss, were lensed. Sadly, this is also where the dream died.

(With inputs from Mohammed Wajihuddin in Mumbai)

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Navi Mumbai: Nitin Desai provided 10 tents to house victims and rescue workers at the landslide-hit Irshalwadi hamlet in Khalapur taluka. The tents were kept at two different locations to help victims and government staff involved in rescue and relief. Desai also provided a night's accommodation and dinner to 56 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force 5th battalion-Pune which carried out the rescue work. Desai’s aid came when the administration was struggling with the logistics at a remote location in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

Renowned art director and production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai died by suicide at his studio (N D Studios) in Karjat, 80 km from Mumbai, yesterday. As per reports, he was going through financial stress and speculation is that this could have been the reason for him to take this step.

In his career spanning 20 years, he worked with prominent filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He was the brain behind the sets of Hindi films like 1942: A Love Story (1994), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India (2001), Devdas (2002), Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai (2010) to name a few.

His last venture as an art director was Panipat (2019). He had also created the sets for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Desai won several awards throughout his career, including four National Awards.

In 2005, Desai established N D Studios in Karjat, which was spread over 52 acres. This studio has played host to many movies as well as the reality show Big Boss. He also tried his hand at acting and has been credited as an actor in Daud (1997) and the Marathi movie Hello Jai Hind! (2011), which he directed.

Last month, Desai had performed a pooja at his studio in anticipation of the upcoming festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. He was working on the pandal decoration for Mumbai’s iconic Ganpati mandal Lalbaugcha Raja. He was also busy with an OTT show on Maharana Pratap.

Regarding his demise, Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Somnath Gharghe said, “Police were informed by a worker on the set. When the team reached the studio, we saw his body hanging. We are investigating further to ascertain all the aspects in this case.”

- With inputs from ANI

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There is a sense of magic as the lights in a theatre dim for we are often, within moments, transported into another world. And if we were lucky, we would be transported to a world created by art director Nitin Desai. From the earthy village of Lagaan (2001) to the vibrancy of Devdas (2002), from the 16th century palaces of Jodhaa Akbar (2008) to the ’70s Bombay in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (OUATIM, 2010), there wasn’t a setting that the four-time National Award winner had not introduced us to.

OUATIM director Milan Luthria remembers how he began shooting the gangster film with Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi in real locations across Mumbai. Soon, crowd-management issues made him consider filming on sets. That’s when someone recommended the production designer to him.

“I told Nitin what I had in mind. He said, ‘Don’t worry, it will all happen in my studio [ND Studios, Karjat].’ He came back with a plan and sketches of how he was going to turn around various parts of his studio. He made a vintage café, made Sultan’s [Devgn’s character] house all white, and made the bustling streets where we shot the song, Pee Loon. His greatest quality was that he could adapt to the sensibility of the film. He realized that each movie had a different demand, which is why every film of his looks different,” he shares.

The director remembers that the climax where Devgn’s character is shot at while delivering a speech was the most challenging. But Desai, he says, came up with quick solutions.

“The studio originally didn’t look that way. There was chaos, but he quickly changed the colours of the backdrop, erected a wall on one side and removed certain fountains, saying that the style did not match the era we were depicting. He was hands-on. If you had an issue and needed a solution, Nitin was the man,” adds Luthria.

The studio originally didn’t look that way. There was chaos, but he quickly changed the colours of the backdrop, erected a wall on one side and removed certain fountains, saying that the style did not match the era we were depicting. He was hands-on. If you had an issue and needed a solution, Nitin was the man,” adds Luthria.

Desai had won National Awards for his work in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan and Devdas. But to Bhandarkar, his work went beyond grandeur.

“Nitin was synonymous with [elaborate] set design after his brilliant work in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. But he was equally a genius in creating realistic sets for films like Traffic Signal, Jail [2009] and Indu Sarkar [2017]. He visited Yerawada and Thane prisons to create a realistic set for Jail. When I asked him [to recreate] Connaught Place, he promised that it would be as real as Delhi’s landmark location. I was amazed at the transformation. I clicked some pictures and sent it to my friends in Delhi, who couldn’t believe it was a set.”

A trait of Desai that endeared him to the director was his ability to make good his promises. “He was always flexible with budgets and would say, ‘Main kar ke deta hoon.’”

Director Ketan Mehta shares that the Aamir Khan-led Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) was the first endeavour to be shot in ND Studios that opened in 2005. “When he launched the studio, the qawwali song from Mangal Pandey was the first shoot on the location. Nitin was a disciplined and systematic designer. So, even before we began shooting, everything was pre-visualized and pre-decided with major contributions from the creative genius that Nitin was,” says Mehta, who worked with him over 28 years and several films.

Producer Ronnie Screwvala, who collaborated with Desai on several films, most notably Jodhaa Akbar and Fashion, remembers him as someone who thought big and created even bigger. “He always gave his all to whatever he did. He always thought big and then actually made it happen. I am very sad to hear the news, ” he says.

The particular permanent set in ND Studios, Karjat, where Desai was found dead on Wednesday

Set pieces used for the filming of Lagaan. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Art director Nitin Desai, who constructed the grand visual architecture of new millennium classics such as Lagaan (2001) and Devdas (2002), and had four national awards to his credit, was found dead at his studio in Karjat near Mumbai on Wednesday. He was 57. “He was found hanging by a rope at 9 am. We have asked for cyber forensics and fingerprints experts and the body has been sent to JJ Hospital for postmortem. The case is being investigated from all angles,” Somnath Gharge, superintendent of police, Raigad, told reporters.

No suicide note has been found, but police are examining audio clips of conversations between Desai and his manager. A case of accidental death has also been registered.

The sprawling N D Studios, spread over 52 acres, is located about 100 kms from Mumbai. Desai had an unresolved financial debt of Rs 252 crores, and a bankruptcy court had initiated insolvency proceedings against his company last week. The Covid lockdown had wrought a downturn in revenue as big budget productions with lavish sets declined in number.

Independent MLA Mahesh Baldi said, “Desai was in deep financial trouble and that could be the reason for him taking the drastic step of ending his life. I had met Desai 2 months ago when he told me about his financial problem.”

Desai’s death sent shockwaves across the film world. “Stunned. Shocked. No words,” texted Ashutosh Gowariker, who worked with him in Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar. Several stars as well as television personalities also posted tributes on social media.

In the 2010 film, Hisss, Mallika Sherawat played a shape-shifting serpent who avenges the death of her mate. Eleven years on, it’s a case of role-reversal as the actor returns with another horror thriller Naagmati, which sees her as a princess trying to save her kingdom from a snake’s curse. The project, marking Tamil film director V C Vadivudaiyan’s foray into Bollywood, will go on floors today at Karjat. With this, Sherawat — who has been dabbling in web shows of late — returns to a Hindi film set after Dirty Politics (2015).

“Mallika is playing her first double role,” states the director, explaining that Sherawat portrays a queen and a royal princess, both united in their effort to save the kingdom. “Her character is called Naagmati as the royal family is cursed by a naagin. Mallika will sport two distinct looks. It’s a period movie that takes place in three eras — 1900, 1947 and 1970.” The film, originally shot in Hindi, will be dubbed in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. 

The unit has built an elaborate set of a palace at N D Studios in Karjat. The Mumbai leg will be followed by a stint in Rajasthan and an international schedule in South Africa. Vadivudaiyan adds, “Mallika will engage in fighting and sword-wielding in the actioner. The pandemic gave her the time to prepare for the stunts; she has trained in horse-riding and sword-fighting for the film.”

Last week, mid-day reported that Salman Khan will announce six projects in July, including the Master remake (Master of the game, June 11). Now, it has come to light that the superstar intends to launch the first poster and title of Farhad Samji’s next on the occasion of Bakri Eid on July 21. While the film was earlier titled 'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali', it has been rechristened 'Bhaijaan' for now and also stars Pooja Hegde, Aayush Sharma, Zaheer Iqbal and Asim Riaz.  

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala has set things in motion for the poster launch. “Once the situation improves, Salman will come down from his Panvel farmhouse for a photoshoot with the cast. Designer Ashley Rebello has begun planning his look; the superstar will don a white kurta and jeans, sporting a clean-shaven look,” says a trade source.

The action-comedy said to be an official remake of a popular Tamil film, will see Khan as the eldest brother who refuses to get married, believing that marriage may create disharmony in the family. After his three younger brothers find love, they conspire to find a match for him. The source adds, “Since the movie focuses on the bond of brotherhood, Salman, Farhad and Sajid feel the title, Bhaijaan, perfectly captures its essence.”

The actor is expected to resume the shoot of Maneesh Sharma’s 'Tiger 3' in the coming weeks. If all goes well, Khan will kick off Samji’s directorial venture by Diwali. “Come November, the project will roll at a bungalow in ND Studios in Karjat, followed by stints at multiple locations. The makers are targeting a Diwali 2022 release.”

Nadiadwala remained unavailable for comment.

The film will also feature Aayush Sharma, Pooja Hegde and Zaheer Iqbal

One of the most iconic sets of Bollywood, Jodhaa Akbar, which is located in N D Studios in Karjat, caught fire on May 7. After the set was used to shoot Ashutosh Gowarikar’s directorial film in 2008 starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, it was opened to the public and became a popular tourist destination for film enthusiasts.

Talking about the incident, the founder of the studio Nitin Chandrakant Desai who had also designed the set, told BT, “Next to our studio there is a railway track. The workers there were clearing dry grass off the track. They put a fire to the grass. Since it was too windy, parts of the burning grass flew towards the set and it caught fire. Due to the lockdown there were hardly any people in the studio premises. Till the time the security guards realised, it was too late. Isme toh hamari koi galti nahi hai, lekin hamare aankhon ke saamne hamara sapna jalta dekhna pada.”

Ask him if he is planning to take action against those responsible for the incident and he says, “I am not in the mental state to think about anything on those lines right now. I am still in trauma. Jodhaa Akbar ka jo set tha woh bade dil se banaya tha. It was not a mere structure, but an emotion. This set gave N D Studios its identity.”

The film’s director Ashutosh Gowariker was one of the first persons to call Desai after learning about the incident. “People in Karjat have been giving us a lot of love and support. From social workers, the tehsildar to politicians — everyone did what they could to save the studio. Several fire engines came on spot very soon and without their support this would have become a major calamity,” says the art director and production designer.

Navi Mumbai: A major fire broke out at art director Nitin Desai’s N D Studios at Karjat in Raigad district at around Friday noon.

A part of the set erected in 2007 for the shooting of a historical movie (Jodhaa Akbar) was gutted in the blaze.

Five fire tenders from Karjat and Khopoli fire stations doused the fire. Fortunately, there was no casualty and no one was injured.

Raigad district disaster management officials informed that four fire engines were engaged in the fire-fighting operation at the film studio. The fire was extinguished at around 4 pm.

Quick response by the fire brigade teams after the emergency fire call prevented the fire from spreading to the entire set. Prima facie, the cause of fire is reportedly due to a short circuit in the electrical unit installed at the studio.
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Before they kick off the shoot of Antim from November 15, Salman Khan and director Mahesh Manjrekar have planned everything down to the last detail — from the combination dates of actors to the location of shoot and the safety protocols. Yet, the two find themselves in a unique dilemma as they are unable to decide the finer details of the superstar's role in the action drama.

Considering the film is a remake of the Marathi hit Mulshi Pattern (2018), Manjrekar is keen that Khan play a Maharashtrian cop in the film. "However, Salman wants to play a Punjabi police officer. He believes it will lend pan-India appeal to the film. Over the past few days, Salman and Mahesh have been brainstorming about his character. It has finally been decided that the actor will conduct a look test this weekend, during which he will flaunt a Maharashtrian avatar and a north Indian get-up, and accordingly zero in on his final look," reveals a trade source.

The crime drama will see Khan team up with brother-in-law Aayush Sharma. "The mahurat will happen at Mehboob Studios on Diwali, followed by a two-month schedule at N D Studios in Karjat. Salman will play a no-nonsense cop. Styled by Ashley Rebello and sister Alvira Agnihotri, the actor is likely to sport a French beard," adds the source.

Manjrekar, who has previously collaborated with Khan as an actor, is excited to reunite with him. "We plan to start shoot in the next 15 days. Salman and Aayush will have never-seen-before looks in the movie," he says.

On October 2, Salman Khan got back to the set after six-and-a-half months to resume work on his action-thriller Radhe. He was joined by his onscreen ladylove, Disha Patani, the film’s antagonist, Randeep Hooda, along with Jackie Shroff, Arjun Kanungo, Govind Namdev and Tamil actor, Bharath. The 15-20 days’ shoot was to go on till the month-end, but Mirror has learnt that the Prabhudheva directorial wrapped up well ahead of the schedule.

“They successfully completed the shoot at three different locations—N D Studios where some action scenes were filmed, Aamby Valley, where a song was picturised, and Mehboob Studios, where they completed the patchwork. The SOPs laid down by the government were strictly followed. To ensure that there was limited crew on the set, they split the team across three locations, keeping the sets ready for use as soon as the actors arrived,” revealed a source, adding that they managed to wrap up the shoot without any positive cases.

The song, featuring Salman and Disha, was choreographed by Caesar Gonsalves. The shoot dates for the Sajid-Wajid composition, coincided with Wajid’s birthday. “Sajid was present on set and the team remembered the late composer and even cut a birthday cake in his memory. It was an emotional moment,” shared the source.

While a major chunk of post-production work has been completed through the lockdown, the team will now look at locking the edit and rushing through post-production on the sequences recently shot. “The final cut should be ready by December,” informed the source. The film was to arrive in the theatres on Eid 2020 but with the ongoing pandemic delaying things, a call on new release date will be taken in a fortnight’s time.

Salman plays the titular role of Radhe, the most-wanted bhai, who takes on a Goa-based mafia gang led by Randeep. The film is produced by Salman, with brother Sohail and brother-inlaw, Atul Agnihotri.

Mirror (September 30) was the first to report that Salman Khan is all set to return to work and resume shooting for his action-thriller Radhe, with a 15-day schedule kicking off at ND Studios in Karjat. On Saturday, the actor’s leading lady, Disha Patani, took off from Mumbai to start work on the Prabhudheva-directorial, after a six-month hiatus owing to the coronavirus-triggered pandemic. The next morning, she announced that she was gearing up to film a song for the action-thriller. Before the pandemic brought shoots to a halt, Radhe had one song and some action scenes left to be shot. The makers had even discussed scrapping the song altogether, but now we’ve learnt that it’s being filmed in Aamby Valley, near Lonavla.

“After shooting for some cop-centric dramatic scenes at N D Studios on October 2 and 3, the team is now in location for a romantic song featuring Salman and Disha,” revealed a source close to the development, adding that the initial plan was for the team to fly to Azerbaijan for the shoot. However, with a war raging in Azerbaijan and travel to foreign lands still restricted, producers Sohail Khan and Atul Agnihotri decided to stay close to home, keeping everyone’s safety in mind.

“The location is not densely populated, but is naturally picturesque; the song will be shot with wide angle shots of the mountains in the background. It’s a two-day shoot featuring the lead pair, after which Salman returns to N D Studios again for 10 days, before moving to Bandra’s Mehboob Studios for the patchwork,” shared the source, adding that Disha had been rehearsing for three days in a dance studio in Mumbai, before heading to the location,.

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Salman Khan has dived deep into work after the unforeseen seven-month break — only days after he filmed the opening episode of Bigg Boss 14, the actor resumed the shoot of Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai on Sunday. While the team of the Prabhudheva-directed venture kicked off the schedule at ND Studios on October 1 sans Khan, the superstar and his leading lady Disha Patani drove down to Aamby Valley over the weekend to begin their stint with a romantic dance track.

The song was to be shot originally in Thailand, but has now been reimagined by choreographer Caesar Gonsalves. "Over the next four days, Salman and Disha will film the dance number in the beautiful locales of the resort township and Lonavala. The makers have adopted the bio-bubble mode, and put up the cast and crew in chalets in Aamby Valley, thus isolating them from the outside world. After the song is wrapped up, the unit will shift to Mehboob Studios in Bandra for patchwork shoot. The makers are hoping to call it a wrap by October 12," reveals a source close to the film's unit. The superstar, who will honour the film's commitment through the week, will travel to Film City on Fridays to shoot for Bigg Boss' Weekend Ka Vaar.

Before the Aamby Valley leg, producers Atul Agnihotri, Sohail Khan and Nikhil Namit supervised the four-day schedule at N D Studios in Karjat. The source adds, "On the agenda was the filming of some crucial confrontation scenes with Jackie Shroff, Gautam Gulati, and South actors Bharath Niwas and Megha Akash, who play Salman's colleagues in the cop caper. Since the sequences are set at the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] office, the makers wanted to shoot them at the live location, but it wasn't possible under the current circumstances. So, the production design team recreated a crime branch at the studio."