In audio clips, Nitin Desai heard urging govt to ensure his studio is not seized: Cops

The national award-winning art director was found dead at his ND studio at Karjat in Raigad district Wednesday morning. Police had said it was a suspected case of suicide due to the debt he was facing.

An officer said that they have sent the audio notes to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to confirm its authenticity. “There are several audio clips in which he has made allegations against a few people. He has also requested the government to ensure that the studio is not seized,” the official added.

On July 25, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ordered “initiation of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP)” against Nitin Desai’s company — ND’s Art World Private Limited — in view of an outstanding debt of Rs 252.48 crore.

The bench also appointed Jitender Kothari as the interim resolution professional to carry out the steps mentioned under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

Desai, who hailed from Dapoli, worked as an art director and production designer for several Marathi and Hindi films including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan (2001), Devdas (2002), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015).

Desai won the national award for art direction four times and Filmfare award three times.

In 2005, he opened his ND Studios spread over nearly 50 acres at Karjat, Navi Mumbai, which has hosted movies such as Jodhaa Akbar and Colors TV’s reality show Big Boss.