Runa Laila’s Punjabi connection

She rose to fame in India in the 80s with songs like Duma Dum Mast Kalandar. But Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila has been out of sight for over a decade now. In Delhi to perform tunes from her latest album The Big Great Punjabi Wedding, Laila is excited at working in India once again. 

“I have recorded eight songs, all with different moods for the occasion of a Punjabi wedding. There are some songs in a dialect which is a mix of Punjabi and Sindhi,” says Laila, who came to Delhi some time ago to record the album.

But Laila hasn’t been to Mumbai — the place which holds a special place in her heart. “I haven’t been to Mumbai for ages. I would love to come back and record for film songs there or do live concerts,” she says, recollecting her recording days. “I first recorded Ek Se Badhkar Ek for Kalyanji Anandji. It was fun recording and doing rehearsals with them because Anandji had a great sense of humour. Then it was Sapno Ka Mandir, Agneepath, Gharonda and others. I enjoyed working with each one of the directors as they all had their own unique style,” says Laila.

She remembers how difficult it was for Bangladeshi singers to record or perform live in India. “It’s easier now, but back then it was not so easy for me to come and work here on a regular basis because of regulations. Artists had to take special permission from government authorities. That really came in the way of my dreams of working in the Mumbai film industry. There should be no borders for artists because we only bring love” says Laila.