Heisnam Kanhailal (17 January 1941 – 6 October 2016) was an Indian art theatre personality.

[2] He was the founder-director of Kalakshetra Manipur, a theatre laboratory established in 1969 that explores a new vocabulary in the existing language of theatre.

Kanhailal was born in Keisamthong Thangjam Lairak, Imphal.

Kanhailal was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Direction in 1985, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama.

Kanhailal was married to Sabitri Heisnam, his theatre associate and a fellow Padma Shri awardee.