{{Short description|Indian actor (1911–1973)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Shyam Laha | native_name = শ্যাম লাহা | native_name_lang = | image = Shyam Laha.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date text|26 November 1911}} | birth_place = Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India | death_date = {{death date and age text|25 October 1973|26 November 1911}} | death_place = Calcutta, West Bengal, India | alma_mater = | spouse = | occupation = Theater Actor, Film actor | years_active = | footnotes = }} '''Shyam Laha''' (26 November 1911 – 25 October 1973) was an Indian actor in Bengali and Hindi-language films. He was known for his comic acting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://noisebreak.com/bhanu-bandyopadhay-tribute-legendary-comedian-birth-anniversary/|title=Bhanu Bandyopadhay: A Tribute to the Legendary Comedian in His Birth Anniversary|date=26 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327185002/http://noisebreak.com/bhanu-bandyopadhay-tribute-legendary-comedian-birth-anniversary/|archive-date=2018-03-27|url-status=live|access-date=20 March 2018}}</ref>
==Early life== Shyam Laha was born in 1911 in Kolkata, British India. His original name was Kashinath Shil. Laha passed matriculation from Bangabashi Collegiate School. He was interested in music, playing the ''Tabla''.<ref name=":0" />
==Career== Actor Pahari Sanyal was impressed by Laha at a function of the Bengali club in Lucknow and introduced him to Bengali director cum actor Pramathesh Barua. Laha became popular after acting in Debaki Bose's film ''Chandidas''.<ref name=":0" /> He acted in the first animated Bengali film Pear Brothers in 1934. Music director Rai Chand Boral formed his independent MLB production company with Laha.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&q=shyam+laha+debaki+kumar+bose&pg=PA68|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|last=Ashish Rajadhyaksha, Paul Willemen|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321063142/https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=shyam+laha+debaki+kumar+bose&source=bl&ots=VCZrODxwch&sig=Z5cK5habOaWFEZtwCzrRu1W7-YM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_rLWg0vvZAhWHoJQKHb69DHcQ6AEwEnoECAIQAQ#v=onepage&q=shyam%20laha%20debaki%20kumar%20bose&f=false|archive-date=2018-03-21|url-status=live|access-date=20 March 2018|isbn=9781135943189|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Routledge }}</ref> He also appeared in theatres as well as being a radio comic. Laha performed in a comedy duo with another comedian Nabadwip Haldar in various films as a Bengali version of Laurel and Hardy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://indiancine.ma/PIN/info|title=Shriman Prithviraj|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321063220/https://indiancine.ma/PIN/info|archive-date=2018-03-21|url-status=live|access-date=20 March 2018}}</ref>
==Filmography== * ''Pear Brothers'' * ''Bhagya Chakra'' * ''Dhoop Chhaon'' * ''Pujarin'' * ''Dharti Mata'' * ''Sapera'' * ''Bagha Jatin'' * ''Zindagi'' * ''Milan'' * ''Dampati'' * ''Sahadharmini'' * ''Marutirtha Hinglaj'' * ''Ekti Raat'' * ''Manikjore'' * ''Samadhan'' * ''Aarohi (film)'' * ''Kalo Chhaya'' * ''Noukadubi'' * ''Neelachaley Mahaprabhu'' * ''Niruddesh'' * ''Saat Number Kayedi'' * ''Hanabari'' * ''Uttar Falguni'' * ''Indrani'' * ''Lakh Taka'' * ''Bhanu Goenda Jahar Assistant'' * ''Basanta Bilap'' * ''Deya Neya'' * ''Sharey Chuattar'' * ''Jamalaye Jibanta Manush'' * ''Antony Firingee'' * ''Shriman Prithviraj''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0481504}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Laha, Shyam}} Category:1911 births Category:1973 deaths Category:Male actors in Bengali cinema Category:Indian stand-up comedians Category:Indian male radio actors Category:Male actors from Kolkata Category:20th-century Indian male actors Category:20th-century Indian comedians Category:Actors from Kolkata