Director, producer and screen writer Kalpana Lajmi dies
Highlights
- Kalpana Lajmi was diagnosed with a kidney ailment last year
- Ms Lajmi directed her last film 'Chingari' in 2006
- She made debut as Shyam Benegal's assistant director over 3 decades ago
Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi, who was known for her women oriented, powerhouse films like Rudaali, Chingaari, Ek Pal and Daman died in Mumbai on Sunday. Ms Lajmi was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year. Actor Huma Qureshi tweeted early morning that Ms Lajmi died at about 4.30 am.
Ms Lajmi, 64, directed her last film Chingari with Mithun Chakraborty, Anuj Sawhney and Sushmita Sen in 2006.
Actors who have been close to her have tweeted their tribute to the award winning director and screenwriter.
Ms Lajmi made her debut as an assistant director of veteran film maker Shyam Benegal over three decades ago.
Since Ms Lajmi was detected with cancer, several artists in the film world including Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Soni Razdan and Neena Gupta helped her out financially.
Ms Lajmi had authored a book on her companion of 40 years, Bhupen Hazarika. The book 'Bhupen Hazarika - As I Knew Him' was launched in Mumbai on September 8 by Shyam Benegal. The director who was in hospital at time could not be at the launch of her book.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, actors Adil Husain and Huma Qureshi, chief of Central Board of Film Certification, Prasoon Joshi were at the launch and read out passages from the critically acclaimed book on Hazarika.
Ms Lajmi's Rudaali, was the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 66th Academy Awards. The film however, was not accepted as a nominee. This year, the film based on a short story written by Mahasweta Devi, completed 25 years.