Runa Laila

Runa Laila (born 17 November 1952) is a playback singer of the subcontinent who lives in Bangladesh. She is effective in Ghazals also. She made a hit pair with famous singer Ahmed Rushdi after replacing Mala. She also has done numerous playbacks for movies in Bangladesh, India and Pakistani film industries during late 60s,70s and early 80's. Her best known number is Dama Dam Mast Qalandar, a song covered by many artists.

Runa's career as a singer came about by accident. It was her elder sister Dina who first got the break, but on the day of her performance, she developed a sore throat and Runa was asked to stand in. She was so little that she could not hold the 'Tanpura'. She held it horizontally and sang a 'kheyal'. She started appearing on the 'Zia Mohyuddin Show', a Karachi TV stage show (1972–74)and later did songs for numerous Pakistani films in the 70s. "Umra Jan Ada" (1972) was one such super hit film in which all but one song were sung by Runa Laila.
Sister Dina (once married to Pakistani politician from Sindh Makhdoom Amin Fahim) would have followed in her footsteps but had to give up singing when she married. She later died of cancer. In memory of her sister, Runa held six concerts in Bangladesh and donated the entire proceeds to a children's hospital in Dhaka to build a cancer ward which has been named after her sister

She sang playback for many movies in Bangladesh and India and, before the independence of Bangladesh, in Pakistan. She is known for her songs "Dama Dam Mast Qalandar" and "Mera Babu Chhail Chhabeela Main to Nachoongigi", which have been sung by other artists.
She made a sensational entry into the Hindi filmdom with Ek Se Badkar Ek in 1974. Music lovers all over India were swinging to the rhythmic beat of Dama Dam Mast Qalander.
Her songs in "Gharonda", which was released later, also did well with the audience. After that she withdrew from Mumbai but is still popular in India. Some of the music directors she has worked with are Jaidev, Kalyanji Anandji and Bappi Lahiri.
She is equally popular in the Bengali pop music space with songs like "Sadher Lau Banailo Morey", "Shilpi ami, tomaderi gan shonabo" and "Bondhu Tin Din Tor Barite Gelam".