‘Nitin Desai brought high level of creative input to his designs’

The team from Bengal Club had planned to meet Desai soon to discuss this year’s project. “I can’t think ahead now. Desai always had designs or ideas ready,” he said. “He had an exceptional eye for detail. He often suggested a few minor changes which were imp

Mumbai: The Nitin Desai touch will be missed at the Durga Puja Mandal, Shivaji Park, this year, while organisers of Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav, in Parel, are on their own now to actualise the master set designer’s ideas. He has been designing the former for five years and the latter for 15 years.

Mumbai, India - September 29, 2022: Indian art director Nitin Desai inspects the ongoing work of the Durga Puja pandal designed by him, at Shivaji Park, Dadar, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, September 29, 2022. (Photo by Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times) (Pratik Chorge/HT PHOTO)

The designer has reimagined the coronation day of Shivaji Maharaj as the theme for Lalbaugcha Raja this year, to mark its 350th anniversary. While the designs are complete, half the work on the project is yet to be achieved. “He always brought a high level of creative input to his designs,” said Balasaheb Kamble, president of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal. “He spent two hours with us on Sunday, discussing the project, he went over the work done and the plans ahead. True to his nature, he laughed and joked with us through the time he was here.”

“A rough structure of the main gate has been done as well as the statue of Shivaji,” said Sudhir Salvi, secretary of the mandal. Desai’s team will complete the task this year, although “his absence at crucial times will be felt; he had become a part of our family”, added Balasaheb.

Desai has created many showstoppers in the past – the sheesh mahal used in ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Paiyo’ was lifted and placed here in 2015, the year the film was released. In 2018, going with ‘save the environment’ theme, the décor was crafted out of papier mache, sans any backdrop or throne – the Ganesha was placed on a block of stone. In 2019, ‘space’ was the theme, as Chandrayan-2 was launched that year.

“His contribution towards our celebration over the last five years has been invaluable,” said Joy Chakraborty, former president and chief advisor of the Bengal Club, that hold holds the Durga Puja at Shivaji Park every year. “On the centenary year of the club, Desai’s decorations gave visitors a flavour of Kolkata and the designs were borrowed from the temples of Mauryan age.”

The team from Bengal Club had planned to meet Desai soon to discuss this year’s project. “I can’t think ahead now. Desai always had designs or ideas ready,” he said. “He had an exceptional eye for detail. He often suggested a few minor changes which were impactful.”

Chakraborty remembered Desai as an affable man “who wore his success easy”. “He used to mingle with our club members effortlessly and was warm towards everyone.”