Leela Desai

She was the daughter of Umedram Lalbhai Desai and his second wife Satyabala Devi, a musician of the early 1900s.

Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, Nemo, Sisir Kumar Bhaduri and Jamuna, all of whom later earned all India fame, under the banner of New Theatres.

Among his technical achievements were the bringing of sound to Calcutta for Bengali films, and the introduction of the playback system.

[2] Desai was trained in the "Bhatkhande Music Institute established in Lucknow in 1926 has played a vital role in training generations of performing artistes, dedicated gurus and gifted composers...Lucknow has contributed music directors, (like Naushad, Madan Mohan and Roshan), actors and actresses (like Kumar, Iftekar, Akhtari Bai, Bina Rai, Yashodhara Katju and Swaranlata), singers (Talat Mahmud, Anup Jalota, Dilraj Kaur and Krishna Kalle), writers (like Amritlal Nagar, Bhagawati Sharan Varma and Achala Nagar), lyricists and dancers.

Pahadi Sanyal, Leela Desai and Kamlesh Kumari of New Theatres at Calcutta were all trained here."

Lila Desai is mentioned in Bollywood actress Sumitra Sanyal's site.

She was the personification of Mr. Barnard Shaw's pet notion that, in this eternal amorous game, it is the woman who leads the man on and not, as is commonly supposed, the other way about.

From the moment she jumped down her school garden-wall and almost fell plump into the arms of Prakash Babu, who was sitting below chewing the end of his reflections anent his dismissal from his job, she never, in a manner of speaking, left him to himself.

Then, in addition to her sparkling dialogue and supremely "alive" acting, she was gorgeous in her dancing performance.