RIP Kalpana Lajmi: Bhatts, Shabana, other stars pay last respects to veteran

Respected filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi breathed her last on Sunday and was cremated in Mumbai on the same day. (Photos: Viral Bhayani)

Mahesh Bhatt was among those who saw her one last time at her home in Lokhandwala, Andheri, before her mortal remains were taken for last rites.

The filmmaker’s wife and actor, Alia Bhatt’s mother Soni Razdan, was among the celebrities seen at Oshiwara crematorium, Andheri.

The filmmaker was known for women-centric films like ‘Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence’, ‘Darmiyaan: In Between’, ‘Rudaali’ and ‘Chingaari’, fetching her actors critical acclaim and some like Dimple Kapadia and Arif Zakaria won National Awards.

Though Shabana Azmi never worked with the renowned director, she too was known for films in the same space.

The actress pays her last tribute to Lajmi, whose health had been on a downslide since death of her partner, Padma Vibhushan-winning musician Bhupen Hazarika. She was 64 and died of kidney and liver diseases.

Lajmi learnt the ropes of filmmaking from another veteran, Shyam Benegal, who is her maternal cousin.

Ashoke Pandit was also seen arriving at the crematorium. Aamir Khan, whose ‘Taare Zameen Par’ had a cameo from her, perhaps her last known film, along with Shah Rukh Khan and others had extended financial help to her when her health deteriorated.