Oscars 2024 was also about paying tribute to the contributions of artists and remembering their remarkable work that left an imprint on everyone worldwide. While the Academy Awards seems not to have got over with the Indian film RRR as an action sequence in the film was a part of a montage played at the ceremony to honour stunt coordinators, the ceremony also gave a heartwarming tribute to a late Indian art director. In the Memoriam Segment of the Academy Awards, many late individuals from the entertainment industry lost within a year are honoured. This year India's lost gem, Nitin Chandrakant Desai was recognised with a special mention.
Late Indian Art Designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai Remembered In Oscars
Nitin Chandrakanth Desai, known for his work in Indian films including Jodha Akbar, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan, and many more died last year on August 2, 2023, allegedly by suicide in his studio in Karjat at the age of 57, sending shockwaves in the fraternity.
At the 96th Academy Awards, Desai, who was the man behind the sets of Oscar-nominated Indian films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Lagaan, was given a tribute in its Memoriam Segment.
In its annual ritual, the Academy Awards pay tributes to the industry's legends who passed year within a year. Desai was paid tribute along with Parasite actor Lee Sun-Kyun, Friends star Mathew Perry, singer Tina Turner, Ryan O'Neal, Michael Gambon, Glenda Jackson, Robbie Robertson, Julian Sands, Harry Belafonte, Carl Weathers, comedian Richard Lewis and many others.
The Memoriam Segment opened with a tribute to Russia's opposition leader Alexei Navalny, whose documentary won last year's Best Feature Documentary. The globally recognised anti-corrupt activist and political prisoner died last month in a Russian prison. The music to the segment was given by Italian music icon Andrea Bocelli along with his son Matteo Bocelli playing Andrea's signature single Time to Say Goodbye.
During the segment, a video played on the stage where Desai was credited with his full name along with his photograph while a clip from one of his films played in the background.
With an extensive career spanning over 30 years, Desai has worked with many big Indian filmmakers such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and others. His work spans across television and films. His last work was Panipat.
Desai was not the only Indian to be paid tribute at the Academy Awards. In 2021, actor Irfan Khan and Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya were featured in the segment while actors Rishi Kapoor and Sushant Singh Rajput were mentioned on its website. Indian actor Om Puri was also mentioned in the segment at the 89th Academy Awards for his contributions to world cinema.
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