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Runa Laila
রুনা লায়লা
Runa Laila on 4 July 2017 (01) (cropped).jpg
Laila in 2017
Born
Sadia Islam

(1952-11-17) 17 November 1952 (age 72)
Citizenship
Occupation Singer, music composer
Years active
  • 1969–1991
  • 2008–present
Spouse(s)
  • Khawaja Javed Kaiser
  • Ron Daniel
  • Alamgir
Relatives Subir Sen (uncle)
Awards see Awards below
Musical career
Genres
Instruments Vocals

Runa Laila (born November 17, 1952) is a famous Bangladeshi singer and music maker. She is known for her amazing voice and has sung in many films. People in South Asia often call her the "Queen of Melody" because of her beautiful singing.

Runa Laila started her music journey in the late 1960s in Pakistan. She was inspired by another great singer, Ahmed Rushdi. She has won many awards for her singing, including seven Bangladesh National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer. She also won an award for being the Best Music Composer for the film Ekti Cinemar Golpo in 2018.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Runa Laila was born in Sylhet, which is now part of Bangladesh. Her father, Syed Mohammed Imdad Ali, worked for the government, and her mother, Amina Laila, was also a musician. Runa's uncle, Subir Sen, was a well-known singer in India.

When she was young, Runa started taking dance lessons in Kathak and Bharatanatyam. She loved listening to Ahmed Rushdi, a popular film singer who brought new music styles like rock and disco to South Asia. Runa wanted to sing and perform just like him. She also learned classical music with her older sister, Dina Laila.

While studying at Saint Lawrence Convent in Karachi, Runa won a singing competition. She and her sister were taught by music teachers Ustad Abdul Kader Peyarang and Ustad Habibuddin Ahmed. When Runa was just 12 years old, she sang for a child actor in an Urdu film called Jugnu. The song was named Gudia Si Munni Meri.

A Star's Journey

In 1966, Runa Laila became very popular in the Pakistani film industry. She sang the song Unki Nazron Sey Mohabbat Ka Jo Paigham Mila for the film Hum Dono. She also had her own TV show called Bazm E Laila on PTV.

In 1974, Runa and her family moved to Bangladesh. Her first Bengali song was O Amar Jibon Shathi for the film Jibon Shathi in 1976. That same year, she had her first concert in India, in the city of Mumbai. She started working in Bollywood, India's film industry, and became famous for songs like O Mera Babu Chail Chabila and Dama Dam Mast Qalandar.

Runa Laila even holds a special record in the Guinness World Records! She recorded 30 songs in just 3 days. In 1982, her album Superuna sold over 100,000 copies on its first day, earning her a Golden Disk Award.

Runa Laila has sung in many different languages, showing her amazing talent. She has sung in seventeen languages, including her native Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Pashto, Baluchi, Arabic, Persian, Malay, Nepalese, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, and English.

In 2012, Runa Laila was a judge on an Indian TV singing competition called Sur Kshetra. She worked alongside another legendary singer, Asha Bhosle, and they became like sisters.

Family Life

Runa Laila has been married three times. Her husbands were Khawaja Javed Kaiser, Ron Daniel, and actor Alamgir. She has a daughter named Tani. Her grandsons, Zain Islam and Aaron Islam, are also talented and have been selected for the Arsenal progression center for young athletes.

Helping Others

After her sister passed away from cancer in 1976, Runa Laila organized many charity concerts in Dhaka. The money she raised helped build a cancer hospital in Dhaka.

Runa Laila was also named a SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS. This means she helps raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in South Asia. She was the first Bangladeshi person to have this important role.

Music Albums

  • Sincerely Yours (1973)
  • Runa Laila Sings Songs Of Talib-Ul-Maulla (1974)
  • Great Ghazals - Runa Laila (Style) (1981)
  • Runa in Pakistan (Geet) and (Ghazals) (1980)
  • Bappi Lahiri Presents Runa Laila - Superuna (1982)
  • Runa Goes Disco (1982)
  • Sings For Umrao Jaan Ada (Ghazals) (1985)
  • Ganga Amar Ma Padma Amar Ma (1996)
  • Bazm-E-Laila (2007)
  • Runa Laila-Kala Siah Kala (2010)

Awards and Recognition

Runa Laila has received many awards for her incredible contributions to music:

  • Radio Mirchi Music Award (2015)
  • Independence Day Award, Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer (seven times: 1976, 1977, 1989, 1994, 2012, 2013, and 2014)
  • Sheltech Award, Bangladesh
  • Lux-Channel I Lifetime Performance Award, Bangladesh
  • Saigal Award, India
  • Nigar Award, Pakistan (1968, 1970)
  • Critics Award, Pakistan
  • Graduate Award, Pakistan
  • Firoza Begum Memorial Gold Medal, Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Music Journalists Association (BMJA) lifetime achievement award (2020)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Runa Laila para niños

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