Bollywood is mourning the demise of four-time national award-winning art director Nitin Desai, who was found dead in his studio in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.
According to police Desai’s body was found hanging in his ND Studio in Karjat, some 80 km outside Mumbai.
From Akshay Kumar and Neil Nitin Mukesh to Abhishek Bachchan, film stars have called his demise a great loss and remembered his remarkable works.
As reported earlier, Akshay Kumar delayed the release date of his trailer.
Abhishek Bachchan also officially announced that the trailer of his upcoming film Ghoomer will not be released on August 3.
On behalf of the team, he tweeted, “As a mark of respect to our beloved #NitinDesai, we the team of #Ghoomer have decided to postpone our trailer release function which was to be held tomorrow in Mumbai. We will release it the day after on the 4th of August.”
Desai was known for his work in Hindi and Marathi films. He worked with directors like Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
He worked as an art director in movies 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 had won three Filmfare Awards for Best Art Direction and four National Film Awards for Best Art Direction.
His passing away left the film fraternity in shock.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar told ANI, “It’s the very sad demise of Nitin Chandrakant Desai ji. I had a great bond with him and worked with him in four films Traffic Signal, Fashion, Indu Sarkar, and Jail. He was absolutely an amazing and talented art director. His contribution to Indian cinema will always be remembered. A personality who is very extrovert, down to earth, very friendly to people, always supportive, even if it would be a small film or a regional film, he would still stand by with the filmmakers. I just can’t believe it when I got the news that he is no more with us. I had great relation with him for more than 20 years. My heartfelt condolences to his family members.”
As per fresh reports on his death, a tape recorder has also been found by the police which is believed to be carrying a suicide note. And ex-employee also revealed that a piece of paper was found with Desai, where it was written that his funeral should be performed at the studio itself because ND Studio is very close to his heart.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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