'Rudaali' director Kalpana Lajmi dies of cancer; Pres Kovind, Assam CM mourn loss

Noted director Kalpana Lajmi, who was battling kidney cancer, died Sunday morning at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. She was 64.

Lajmi had been suffering from a chronic kidney disease and liver ailment.

"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," her brother Dev Lajmi told PTI.


Director, producer and screenwriter, Lajmi was known for working on earthy, real subjects with a woman protagonist.

Some of her popular works include 'Rudaali', 'Daman', 'Darmiyaan'. The 1993 film 'Rudaali', based on noted Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi's short story, and starring Dimple Kapadia and Raakhee in strong roles, won critical acclaim.

Lajmi's last movie as a director was 'Chingaari' in 2006, based on a novel "The Prostitute and the Postman" by Bhupen Hazarika, who was her partner.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were among those who paid tribute to the director, recalling her "rare sensitivity".



Bollywood, too, mourned the loss of the veteran director. Raveena Tandon, who had worked with Lajmi in 'Daman', was one of the first to mourn her loss.

Other directors, too, paid condolences. Onir, who had worked as a song director in 'Daman', and Hansal Mehta, who had assisted her on the same film, recalled their association with her.