Kalpana Lajmi passes away: Ram Nath Kovind, Mamata Banerjee, Raveena Tandon mourn filmmaker's death on Twitter

Filmmaker and screenwriter Kalpana Lajmi, noted for films like Rudaali, Darmiyaan and Daman, died in Mumbai on Sunday following a multiple organ failure, said her spokesperson. She was 64.

"Extremely sorry to inform you that Kalpana Lajmi passed away this morning at 4.30 am," the filmmaker's spokesperson Parul Chawla told IANS. Lajmi breathed her last at a hospital here, where she was admitted in the intensive care unit since Tuesday due to kidney-related issues, the spokesperson added. The cremation will take place at 12.30 pm at the Oshiwara crematorium. The filmmaker is survived by her brother and mother, painter Lalita Lajmi.

Kalpana Lajmi. Image from Twitter/@luvClebs

Lajmi had been undergoing dialysis for a couple of years, and true to her indomitable spirit, had said in an interview last year: "My kidneys have failed, but I haven't." She debuted as a feature film director with Ek Pal. Her last directorial was Chingaari, based on the novel The Prostitute and the Postman by the late Bhupen Hazarika, her long-time companion. Her memoir Bhupen Hazarika: As I Knew Him was launched earlier this month. Known for fearless filmmaking with women in strong roles, Lajmi's 1993 Dimple Kapadia-starrer Rudaali was even chosen as India's official entry to the 66th Academy Awards.

Bollywood celebrities and noted personalities took to social media to mourn Lajmi's demise.

Actress Raveena Tandon, who played the lead role as a battered wife in Daman, was one of the first to express her condolences.

Actor Viveck Vaswani was shattered at the news of the death of his friend and colleague.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who had worked with Lajmi as an editor when she made "Darmiyaan", wrote: "Will always remember her with fondness and respect for being a fearless woman and a powerhouse of a person in a male dominated industry. Rest in Peace dear Kalpana."

Actress Soni Razdan said: "Our dear beloved friend Kalpana Lajmi has gone to a better place. RIP my darling Kalpana. I shall miss you so terribly."

Actress Huma Qureshi said she was "deeply saddened" by the news.

(With inputs from Indo-Asian News Servce)