New Delhi

The 96th Academy Awards remembered renowned production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai during the In Memoriam segment. Desai, who had created sets for films like Lagaan and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam among other blockbuster films, died by suicide on August 2023. 

Every year, the Academy Awards pay tribute to people from the film industry who have passed away in the last one year in its 'In Memorium' segment. Desai's name was taken with other celebrities like Matthew Perry, Tina Turner, Glenda Jackson, Ryan O'Neal, Michael Gambon, Julian Sands and  Lee Sun-kyun. 

Nitin Chandrakant Desai's work

Desai was a National Award-winning production designer who was known for his artwork in films such as Jodhaa Akbar and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo as well as the popular TV quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati.

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In his career spanning over 30 years, Desai closely worked with directors like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowariker.

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In Memoriam segment at the Oscars

The 'In Memoriam' segment opened with a tribute to Alexei Navalny, Russia's opposition leader, who died last month. A documentary about Navalny had won Oscars for feature documentary at last year's ceremony.

Italian music icon Andrea Bocelli performed a new version of his signature single Time to Say Goodbye with his son Matteo Bocelli for the segment.

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In its previous edition, the Oscars featured actor Irrfan Khan and Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya in its tributes section, while Bollywood stars Rishi Kapoor and Sushant Singh Rajput found mention on the official website of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). In 2022, the Academy, however, failed to pay tribute to Indian icons Lata Mangeshkar and Dilip Kumar who had passed away the previous year. 

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