As the erstwhile superstar turns 75, production designer and occasional filmmaker Nitin Desai recalls the day the actor inaugurated his dream project, ND Studios.
Amitabh Bachchan turns 75: Why Nitin Desai waited for the actor to inaugurate his studio
Mumbai - 11 Oct 2017 16:00 IST
Updated : 17:21 IST
Sonal Pandya
Back in August, Cinestaan.com spoke with ace production designer Nitin Desai about his ambitious plans to expand his film studio, ND Studios, into a destination for filmmakers and audiences wanting to experience the magic of cinema.
Nitin Desai: Want to open India’s first filmi world with digital experience
Besides talking about his vision for the future of ND Studios, Desai reminisced about the studio’s journey and how it was inaugurated by Amitabh Bachchan.
He said, “When I was doing Eklavya (2007) with Vinod Chopra, Bachchan saheb was there and we stayed together in Udaipur, for almost 23 days. So while shooting one evening, I took my time and showed him my dream. I showed the entire portfolio and the video walk-through which I had created for him. He saw and said very good, very good and then he laughed it (sic).”
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Desai invited Bachchan for the inauguration of the facility in 2007, but the actor was hospitalized because of an accident. “I said I will do the inauguration only with him," said Desai. "I will start [film shootings] side by side, but when we do the inauguration for the industry, we will wait for him. After his recovery, I met him and he said, 'I have fulfilled to the promise, I will come, you tell me' (sic).”
Desai said he was touched by Bachchan’s genuine interest in his venture. “He is such a nice person, he gave me [time from] 4-10 pm, six hours of his life. It was something! He came to the studio before the function, before anybody came, and took an entire round and visited the entire studio. When we did the inauguration, in his speech, he mentioned that when [Nitin] came to me, lots of people have dreams, but he has guts to think and dream, and courage to fulfil it,” Desai said, visibly moved by the memory.
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Watch the video of Amitabh Bachchan and others at the ND Studio inauguration:
