“We have lost someone who was very talented”: Aamir

Actor Aamir Khan, who paid his last respect to veteran art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai on Friday expressed his grief.

Earlier today, his mortal remains were brought to the ND Art World Studio Pvt Ltd studio.

A host of celebrities visited ND studio to pay their last respects to him and extend condolences to the bereaved family.

Among those who paid a visit to the art director's kin were actor Aamir Khan and filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.

During media interaction, Aamir said, “This is very shocking news. I am unable to understand how did this happen. I can't believe it. I wish he had not done this and reached out for help instead. But what can we say in such a tragic situation, it is very difficult to understand what has happened. It is very sad. We have lost someone who was very talented."

Director Madhur Bhandarkar who also paid their last tribute to Desai while talking to ANI said, “It was very upsetting to see... It was a bond of years with Nitin Desai including four movies - Fashion, Jail, Indu Sarkar and Traffic Signal. I believe it was an untimely demise. He gave importance and status to art and art director. The industry has lost a huge talent. We will miss Nitin dada," said Film Director Madhur Bhandarkar on Nitin Desai's demise.”

Apart from them, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Manoj Joshi, Mukesh Rishi, Sonali Kulkarni, and others were also spotted.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya also attended the last rites of Desai.

Desai was found dead on Wednesday 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 chief minister, Eknath Shinde and Deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar also paid their last respects to Desai.

CM Shinde and deputy CM Pawar visited Sir JJ Hospital’s mortuary in Maharashtra's Mumbai, where Desai's body was kept.

Desai, 57, worked as an art director in several big-budget films such as ‘Devdas’, ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’, ‘Once Upon A Time in Mumbai’, and ‘Panipat’, among others.

He 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 had won three Filmfare Awards for Best Art Direction and four National Film Awards for Best Art Direction.