THE TIMES OF INDIA, NEW DELHI TIMES NATION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24,2018 Director Kalpana Lajmi passes away Made Women-Centric, Socially Relevent Movies Like Rudaali, Ek Pal & Daman [email protected] mese cultural icon Bhupen And one of her most remem­ Hazarika striking a creative bered work is Lohit Kinare, a irector Kalpana Lajmi, collaboration with him. "She 1988 DD serial adapted from known for her distinc­ was passionate about her Assamese short stories. Dtive women-centric work. She was Bhupen da's Lajmi loved adapting lit­ films such as Rudaali and Ek companion and looked after erature for cinema. Ek Pal's Pal, passed away at a Mum- him," said noted filmmaker story was penned by poet- bai hospital on Sunday and Lajmi's friend, Jahnu Ba- novelist Maitreyi Devi; Ru­ morning. She was 64. rua. Hazarika passed away in daali was based on littera­ "She was suffering from 2011. Lajmi's memoir, Bhupen teur Mahashweta Devi's sto­ chronic kidney disease and Hazarika — As I Knew Him, ry and Chingari was scripted liver failure. She was on dial­ provides an up, close and per­ from Hazarika's work, Post­ ysis and in and out of hospi­ sonal look into their long­ man and Prostitute. tal for three years," her standing relationship. "She was extremely well brother Dev Lajm i told P'l'l. Hazarika composed mu­ read and very literary in her Women in Lajmi's films sic for most of her films. The outlook. She was also script- possessed an inner core of songs are instantly recognis­ friendly but not very com­ strength which allowed them Kalpana Lajmi with her companion Bhupen Hazarika in a file photo able for their folksy flavor. fortable with the physical to negotiate matters of heart Some like Jara dheere jara process of shooting," recalls on their own terms. In Ek Pal Her women were uncon­ peace. Those days while dheeme leke jaiho doli (Ek Arif Zakaria, who made his (1986), her debut feature, the ventional too. Rakhee(Bhikh- shooting Daman will be a Pal) and Dil hoom hoom kare film debut in Darmiyan. Za­ much-married Priyam (Sha- ni) is a professional mourner treasured memory." (Rudaali), both in Hazarika's karia adds, "I will always be bana Azmi) bears a child from in Rudaali. Dimple Kapadia's In Darmiyan, the Mum- evocative voice, endure in in deep gratitude of her for her lover. Lajmi's protago­ touching performance as a bai-born Lajmi explored the popular memory. taking the risk in casting nists fought back hard when woman who's unable to weep relatively unchartered ter­ "There's a distinctive fla­ me." Shah Rukh Khan was wronged. In Daman, Durga won her the national award rain of alternative gender. A vor of Assam in her movies," initially slotted for the role. (Raveena Tandon) end for be i Rudaali. niece of the famed filmmaker Barua said. Ek Pal was shot Benegal told PTI, "She killing her vicious husband. So d id Tandon for Daman. Guru Dutt, she assisted Shy- in the northeastern state. Be­ was a niece of mine. She was [nChingaii, the wronged sex- who tweeted on Sunday, "You am Benegal in films like Bhu- fore turning to features, Laj­ a very fine filmmaker. She worker Basantl (Sushmita will be missed Kalpanaji. mika and Mandi, before pro­ mi had also filmed a bunch of went through a long period of Sen) avenges her lover Was not your time to go. But ducing and directing Ek Pal. documentaries such as illness, it is tragic. She was slaying the rapacious priest. may your heart now be at Lajmi also assisted Assa­ Along the Brahmaputra. much young to go". .