Kalpana Lajmi is a renowned independent director and producer. Her films, though few, have been commended critically for their realistic portrayals and are regarded as exemplars of India’s parallel cinema movement. Kalpana Lajmi was born in Bombay in 1954 to Lalitha Lajmi, well-known painter and younger sister of legendary film-maker Guru Dutt, and a naval officer. She completed her schooling from the Convent of Jesus and Mary. Her cousin Shyam Benegal gave her a break as his assistant after college while her seniors from St Xavier’s College, Farooque Shaikh and Shabana Azmi, agreed to act in her debut film Ek Pal (1986), based on a short story by Maitreyi Devi, which Gulzar adapted for the screen. The film was set in the lush hills of Assam and drew from Kalpana Lajmi's personal experiences to trace the intricacies of a triangular relationship. Kalpana Lajmi's second feature film Rudaali (1993), for which Dimple Kapadia won a National Award, was a poignant story about a woman who is unable to weep even in the most tragic of circumstances, till a meeting with Bhikhni (Rakhee), a professional mourner, changes her life. Among the film’s highlights was the Bhupen Hazarika composition “Dil hoom hoom kare”.

Kalpana Lajmi's third film Darmiyaan: In Between (1997) gave Kirron Kher a role that allowed her to show off her acting skills, dramatically portraying the tragedy of a former actress who has hidden from the world the fact that her son (Arif Zakaria) is a eunuch. For Daman (2001), Kalpana Lajmi went back to Assam. Again, her leading lady, Raveena Tandon this time, received rave reviews and a National Award for her performance as a woman who is subjected to physical and emotional violence by her husband (Sayaji Shinde) and who finally learns to stand up and defend herself.

Her last release, Chingaari (2006), starring Sushmita Sen and Mithun Chakraborty failed to make an impression.

Kalpana Lajmi also directed several documentaries along with veteran music composer and long-time companion Bhupen Hazarika.