Samir Chanda

Samir Chanda (1957 – 18 August 2011) was an Indian art director and production designer across Indian cinema, including Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam and Tamil, most known for his work in films like "Yodha" (1992), "Dil Se.." (1998), "Guru" (2007), "Omkara" (2006), "Rang De Basanti" (2006), and "Raavan" (2010).
He also directed a Bengali film, "Ek Nadir Galpo" (2008) starring Mithun Chakraborty. It was Indian entries for the Asian, African and Latin American Competition segment of the 38th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), in Goa He was awarded the National Film Award for Best Art Direction four times, including "" (2005) directed by Shyam Benegal.
Career.
A trained painter from Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata, he moved to Mumbai and started his career as an assistant to noted art director Nitish Roy working in films like, "Mandi" (1983) by Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen. Subsequently, started handling films independently as art director and production designer, with Subhash Ghai's "Ram Lakhan" (1989). Over the years he worked with directors like Shyam Benegal, Sangeeth Sivan, Vishal Bhardwaj, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, Gautam Ghosh and Mani Ratnam.
For film "Delhi-6" directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Chanda recreated inner lanes of Old Delhi at Sambhar town in Rajasthan, as it has similar architecture. Later, for some scenes, historic Jama Masjid was digitally added to the frame as a backdrop.
Wasiq Khan, who later did "Gangs of Wasseypur" (2012) and "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela" (2013), started his career as an assistant art director with Chanda in films, Mani Ratnam's "Iruvar" (1997) and Shyam Benegal's "Hari-Bhari" (2000), before starting out on his own.
He died in Mumbai on 18 August 2011, at the age of 53. Reportedly, he suffered a drug reaction to a painkiller he had taken for a toothache earlier that day, and suffered a heart attack. He was rushed a hospital in Malad, Mumbai, where he died within an hour.