Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi dies of cancer

She was 64

Eminent filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi who was battling a kidney ailment for the last couple of years passed away at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital in Mumbai.

"She passed away at the (Kokilaben Dhirubhai) Ambani hospital at 4.30 am. She was on dialysis. She has been in and out of the hospital for three years. The last rites will be possibly conducted today (Sunday)," her brother Dev Lajmi told a news agency.

One of the best films made by her was Rudaali starring Dimple Kapadia, that went on to become India's entry in the Best Foreign Language Film at the 66th Academy Awards.

Kalpana was the daughter of painter Lalita Lajmi and niece of late Guru Dutt. She started her career under noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal.

She made documentaries like A Work Study in Tea Plucking (1979) and Along the Brahmaputra (1981).

In 1986, she directed film Ek Pal starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi. For this film, she also wrote the screenplay with Gulzar. In 1997, she made Darmiyaan: In Between in which Tabu, Arif Zakaria and Kirron Kher gave stellar performances. The story is set in Bollywood of the 40s when an actress discovers that her son is a eunuch.

Her last film was Chingaari in 2006 starring Sushmita Sen. However, it did not do well in box office. This was based on Bhupen Hazarika's novel The Prostitute and the Postman.

Kalpana was close to Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan. "Our dear beloved friend Kalpana Lajmi has gone to a better place. RIP my darling Kalpana. I shall miss you terribly," Razdan tweeted.

"Deeply saddened....May she rest in peace," tweeted actor Huma Qureshi.