The movie “Mission Kashmir,” released in the year 2000, was a successful venture at the box office and also received critical acclaim. Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the film boasted an extravagant star cast, featuring actors like Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles. Apart from the cast, Vidhu ensured that the sets of the film would be larger than life, and for this, he created the entire set in Mumbai.
In a rare interview with Lehren, Art Director Nitin Desai speaks about how he recreated the beautiful landscapes of Kashmir in Mumbai and the making of the sets for the film’s climax. He says, “To create the entire structure, we took 25 days because we used a new technique in film sets, which is scaffolding. That set was challenging and time-consuming as half of it was submerged in water, and my assistants had to go underwater to work on it, with around 40 percent of it floating in the water.”
Nitin also mentions that during the fight scene between Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan inside a house, mineral water was used, as Vidhu didn’t want any compromise and wanted the artists to feel comfortable.
Nitin Desai was a renowned art director in the industry, and it is with great sadness that we learned of his passing on August 2, due to suicide. He had worked on numerous Bollywood and Marathi films, including historical epics and period dramas. Some of his notable works include “Lagaan” (2001), “Jodhaa Akbar” (2008), “Devdas” (2002), “Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela” (2013), “Bajirao Mastani” (2015), and “Panipat” (2019), among others.
His remarkable work was recognized with several awards and accolades in the Indian film industry, including the National Film Award for Best Art Direction for his work in the Marathi hit film “Jogwa” (2009). In addition to films, he made significant contributions to Indian television, designing sets for various historical and mythological TV shows, enhancing their visual appeal.
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