Runa Laila remembers Bappi Lahiri

Bangladeshi musicians have been hit hard by the death of legendary Indian singer-musician Bappi Lahiri, UNB reports.

The prolific Bollywood hit producer had a warm relationship with acclaimed Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila. Not only that, they have worked together as well.

Runa Laila reminisced about Bappi Lahiri to the media on Tuesday.

She said, “I have done two songs in Bollywood films with compositions by Bappi Lahiri - the first was in 1979’s ‘Jan A Bahar’ and the other was in 1984’s ‘Yadgar’. Since then I have been acquainted with Bappi ji.”

She said, in 2018, Bappi Lahiri surprised her on her birthday in Kolkata.

Runa Laila said, “Alamgir and I were in a hotel in Kolkata that year. Bappiji surprised me on my birthday. He was staying with his wife at the same hotel. He greeted me first over the phone. Then they came to our room with flowers and cake.”

“We talked a lot that day. That was the last time I met Bappiji,” she said.

Recalling his larger-than-life personality, Runa Laila further said that Bappi Lahiri was a ‘good friend’.

“Not only to me - he had been the favourite of everyone I know. He always liked to live in laughter and have fun,” the artist said.