Nitin Chandrakant Desai, renowned for his art direction and production design in numerous Bollywood and Marathi films, was posthumously honoured at the 2024 Academy Awards. In Memoriam, a segment that pays tribute to individuals from the film industry who have passed away, Desai’s work was celebrated alongside Friends star Matthew Perry, singer Harry Belafonte, actor Paul Reubens, Melinda Dillon, Norman Jewison, Piper Laurie, and Ryan O’Neal.
Desai, who tragically died by suicide at the age of 57, had collaborated closely with esteemed directors such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Rajkumar Hirani. His contributions to films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan, Devdas, Jodha Akbar, and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo were particularly notable.
During the ceremony, his name was presented alongside a clip from one of the films he had worked on, accompanied by his photo. The touching moment was enhanced by a performance from Andrea Bocelli and his son, which moved the audience to tears.
Film critic Anupama Chopra expressed her appreciation for X, stating, “Nitin Desai in the In Memoriam segment—wonderful to have his monumental work recognized internationally. #Oscars2024.”
Desai’s final film credit was for Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat.