Having completed a glorious 25 years in cinebiz as set designer, Nitin Chandrakant Desai, National Award bagging set specialist had reason to beam as his biography 'Adhunik Yugacha Vishwakarma' penned by editor Mandar Joshi ( Sakal Group of Publications & ICPPL) was released on August 8, 2011 at a memorable event convened within the five star confines of a suburban Mumbai hotel.
A show reel illumining the repertoire of the four time National Award winner ( Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Hum De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Lagaan) that spans close to 109 films, a host of serials and foreign flicks as well (Slumdog Millionaire, Salaam Bombay), anchored by Mrinal Kulkarni and Makarand Deshpande sufficed to spotlight the path- breaking oeuvre of the set specialist.
Extending the honours was Chief Guest Amitabh Bachchan, looking natty as usual in Armani attire (or was it Hugo Boss, who cares… terrific, either way) seated amid a posse of celebs: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, art director Nitish Roy ( Desai's unofficial Guru), politico Uddhav Thackeray, Kiran Shantaram, Feroz Abbas Khan, Ketan Mehta and Manmohan Shetty, among others.
Chopra described him as being "extra sincere", a young assistant to Roy on the sets of his Parinda, who was keen to "put cotton behind the wooden panels of the ship" used in his flick, coz' Nitin had read that "cotton was definitely used." In a fitting tribute, Chopra asserted that he was "still putting cotton", as his sincerity never ever flagged.
While director Feroz ( Gandhi My Father) hailed Nitin as a "boy from a humble background" who was "never short on madness", Mehta (Rang Rasiya) lauded him as being one "who dreamt the biggest dreams" and fructified them into reality on the strength of his genius and intrepid stance.
His visage was flooded with tears… as Nitin thanked "everybody connected with my success", terming Bachchan as a "living God who has always encouraged me"… and post book release, prostrated himself at the feet of the veteran icon!
Holding forth on Desai, Bachchan also "warned" other actors to be careful, ribbing Nitin since he'd also "turned actor with a Marathi film."
Delving into flashback mode, Bachchan ferreted out an anecdote… when he'd stepped in to inaugurate the 32 acre spread ND Studio at Karjat.
"When I'd come there, I saw that there were various beautiful statues of several Gods and Goddesses that he had made. Nitin told me that after I'd inaugurated the studio, he'd have them sent over to my house."
Added Big B significantly, "Today, they occupy place of pride in my house. Some of them are also there at the gym where I exercise every morning, at around 5 a.m. Prior to my workout, I bow to the idols everyday. But in very many ways… I also bow to the genius of Nitin Chandrakant Desai."
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