DIRECTOR Kalpana Lajmi, known for her distinctive women-centric films such as Rudaali and Ek Pal, passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Sunday morning. She was 64.

“She was suffering from chronic kidney disease and liver failure. She was on dialysis and in and out of hospital for three years,” her brother Dev Lajmi said.

Women in Lajmi’s films possessed an inner core of strength which allowed them to negotiate matters of heart on their own terms. A niece of the famed film-maker Guru Dutt, she assisted Shyam Benegal in films like Bhumika and Mandi, before producing and directing Ek Pal.

Lajmi also assisted Assamese cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika striking a creative collaboration with him. He composed music for most of her films.

Benegal said,“ She was a very fine film-maker. She went through a long period of illness. She was much young to go.”

By arrangement with The Times of India

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018