Runa Laila

Runa Laila (born 17 November 1952) is a distinguished Bangladeshi playback singer and composer whose career spans several decades across Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. Born in Sylhet and raised in a culturally diverse environment, she was introduced to music at an early age and trained in both classical music and dance forms such as Kathak and Bharatanatyam. Deeply inspired by legendary Pakistani singer Ahmed Rushdi, whom she regarded as a mentor figure, she developed a distinctive singing style marked by emotional clarity and rhythmic ease.

Her breakthrough came in the Pakistani film industry during the 1960s, where her voice quickly became associated with popular cinema and television. After moving to Bangladesh in the mid-1970s, she emerged as a leading playback singer, delivering award-winning performances in films that are now considered milestones of Bangladeshi cinema. Parallel to this, she built a strong presence in India with memorable popular songs, devotional recordings, and live concerts.

Runa Laila’s repertoire spans film music, ghazals, pop, devotional songs, and modern arrangements, performed in languages ranging from Bengali and Hindi to Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, and several European languages. Beyond music, she has been actively involved in charitable work and cultural advocacy, including her role as a SAARC Goodwill Ambassador. Her legacy stands as a rare example of artistic longevity and cross-border cultural impact in South Asian music.