Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi was admitted to the ICU at the Kokilaben Hospital today, 7 November, as her conditioned worsened. According to her mother, Lalita Lajmi, Kalpana had already lost one of her kidneys and now the second one is affected too. The filmmaker has been suffering from kidney cancer since the past three years.
Kalpana is known for making socially relevant films like Rudaali (1993), Darmiyaan (1997) and Daman (2001). Her last film Chingaari released in 2006.
While talking to a news agency, Kalpana said her trip to Vashi, to attend a program on late Dr Bhupen Hazarika yesterday, might have affected her. "Yesterday was my partner's (Dr Hazarika) death anniversary, so I went all the way to Vashi (Navi Mumbai) to attend a program. That must have taken a toll on me. So today, when I woke up, I felt very weak. I was then taken to the ICU," she said.
Actor Aamir Khan and filmmaker Rohit Shetty have been helping Lajmi financially by paying her medical bills since last few years. Lajmi said that along with them, other stars have also come forward to assist.
"They all have helped me, from Indian Film and Television Directors' Association, Rohit Shetty, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Soni Razdan, Neena Gupta. All of them have come forward and helped me during my worst. It is a financially draining and a continuous lifelong process. I am thankful to my film fraternity for standing by me in this phase. Specially my mother, my brother and Shyam Benegal for their constant support," she added.
All Assam Students' Union has also come forward to help.
Kalpana has been bedridden for six months and often needs to undergo dialysis. In October 2015 too Aamir, wife Kiran Rao and Shetty had donated towards her medical bills. The filmmaker had thanked Aamir for covering the cost of the dialysis.
“Till the last day of my life, I will have to undergo dialysis three times a week and it doesn’t come cheap. But thanks to the generous Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran (Rao), my dialysis bills have been covered for the next six months,” she had said while talking to the daily Mumbai Mirror.
Producer and social activist Ashoke Pandit had also thanked Aamir, Rao and Shetty for their support. “Thank you @aamir_khan #KiranRao @rohitshettyfilm for responding to #IFTDA's appeal for #KalpanaJi,” Pandit had written on Twitter.