Lalita Lajmi

[1][2][3][4] She was a self-taught artist born into a family involved in the arts, and was very fond of classical dance even as a child.

In 1994, she was invited to the Guru Dutt Film Festival, organised by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the Indian High Commissioner at Nehru Centre, London.

Her work was also influenced by Indian films such as those made by her brother, Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor.

In one of her interviews Lalitha Lajmi said that, being from a middle-class background, her family could not afford her joining classical dance classes.

She seriously began painting in 1961 but in those days one could not sell one's work[clarification needed] and hence she had to teach in an art school to support herself financially.

She also showcased her work in Graphic workshop of Prof. Paul Lingerine in Mumbai and two of her etchings were selected for "India Festival" 1985, USA.

[14] She gave a guest appearance in Aamir Khan's 2007 Bollywood film, Taare Zameen Par and has also done costume designing for a play by Amol Palekar[15] She has also worked as a graphics artist in Hindi movie Aghaat.

[citation needed] Lajmi's works are figurative in nature – men, women, children and clowns.

The works of the late 1980s and early 1990s reflect the latent tensions that exist between men and women, captured in the different roles they play.

She uses the images of Durga or Kali on the top of emaciated men who are kneeling, almost as if they were in the middle of some form of classical corporal punishment.

Indian films have been the biggest influence on her work, especially the ones made by her brother, Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor.