The funeral of critically-acclaimed director-writer Kalpana Lajmi on Sunday in Mumbai was attended by actors from the Hindi film industry Shabana Azmi, Soni Razdan and director Shyam Benegal, who is also Lajmi’s uncle.
Lajmi, who was the long-time companion of legendary artiste Dr Bhupen Hazarika, was cremated in the presence of her family, friends and loved ones at Oshiwara Crematorium in Mumbai.
Filmmaker Lajmi’s friends and family bid her an emotional farewell at her funeral.
Lajmi, 64, died of multiple organ failure in the wee hours on Sunday.
She was suffering from chronic kidney disease and liver failure.
Her younger brother, Dev Lajmi performed the last rites at Oshiwara Crematorium amidst a gathering of close friends and family members, including her mother Lalita Lajmi.
Also read: Noted filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi passes away
According to media reports, Razdan, a close friend from Lajmi, who was among the first ones to arrive at the cremation ground, got emotional when the pyre was lit.
A wreath was sent by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as a respect to filmmaker Lajmi.
It may be mentioned that Lajmi debuted as an assistant director under renowned film director Shyam Benegal.
She continued to work as an assistant costume designer in Benegal’s ‘Bhumika: The Role’ (1977), starring Smita Patil, Amol Palekar and Naseeruddin Shah, among others.
Kalpana Lajmi was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani on Tuesday due to kidney related ailments.
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Sarbandna Sonowal have mourned the untimely demise of filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi.
Lajmi was known for her women oriented films like ‘Rudaali’, ‘Chingaari’, ‘Ek Pal’ and ‘Daman’. She was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year.
In a condolence message, Governor Mukhi said that a filmmaker per excellence her death is an irreparable loss to the world of cinema.
In a condolence message, Chief Minister Sonowal said, “During her life time the filmmaker produced several epoch making women oriented films and enriched the Bollywood film industry”.
A strong and energetic voice her untimely death will definitely create a void in the film industry which will be difficult to be filled, Sonowal said.