Amitabh Bachchan bows down to Nitin Desai's artistic caliber

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai couldn't have expected a bigger adulation of his work, when megastar Amitabh Bachchan publicly expressed that whenever he bows down in front of the idols of gods and goddesses, sculpted by Desai, kept in his office, he feels he is bowing down in front of the artiste.

'Whatever Nitin has took up to do creatively he has attained highest level of success. Whenever he ventured for anything new, I am grateful that he has always given me the opportunity to launch it.

'When he started ND Studio, he invited me. He had made a beautiful temple having meticulously designed idols of different Gods and Goddess, in the studio. As it's believed to be a good omen, we went to offer prayers to that temple before starting the opening ceremony. I was so impressed by the idols that I enquired from where he has brought such unique idols. To my surprise, I came to know that he himself has sculpted all those idols and he said that they would be delivering them to my house the next day.

'There is a place in my office where these idols are kept. I have my gym in my office, which I hit every morning at 6 a.m.. Before going to the gym I every day seek blessings from those idols and every time I do that I feel I am bowing down in front of Nitin Chanrakant Desai,' Bachchan told reporters and guests at the launch of a book on Nitin Desai's 25 years to Indian cinema 'Adhunik Yugacha Vishwakarma' here Monday.

The four time National award winning art director has the credit of designing the sets of films like 'Parinda' (1989), '1942-A Love Story' (1993), 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (2002), 'Lagaan' (2002), 'Devdas' (2002), 'The Legend of Bhagat Singh'(2002), 'Munnabhai M.B.B.S.' (2003), 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai,' (2006), 'Harishchandrachi Factory' (2009), 'Once Upon a Time in Mumbai' (2010), under his belt.

Bachchan was awed by his incredible artistic knack, first time seeing the set of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' he designed, and maintains that Desai has an equal contribution behind the success of the reality game show.

'The credibility of people working behind the camera is no less than who work in front of the camera. I got to know about his artistic ability when he was production designer of the set of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' and designed its stage.

'The way he has designed the set of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', no one in the history of Indian television could ever conceptualise it and I believe he shares an equal credit behind the success of the show,' said Bachchan.