In Zubeen Garg’s death, Assam has lost not just its biggest contemporary cultural icon but an “emotion”—as singer, composer, lyricist and actor was often described by his fans and followers.
From weddings to protests, Bihu to kirtan, there is absolutely no occasion in Assam that is complete without the singer’s iconic songs. He ruled the music space for Assam for three decades. The singer, 52, died Friday in Singapore while swimming. Garg was in the county to attend the Northeast Festival. He was scheduled to perform Friday.
PM Narendra Modi shared his condolences online. “Shocked by the sudden demise of popular singer Zubeen Garg. He will be remembered for his rich contribution to music.”
“Today, Assam lost one of its favourite sons. I am at a loss of words to describe what Zubeen meant for Assam, wrote chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on X.
Garg’s impact was not just limited to being the undisputed king of Assamese music, but also extended to acting.
“He was a star, and when the Assamese film industry was struggling, it was his film Mission China (2017) that got audiences back to theatres. He was instrumental in the revival of commercial movies in Assamese,” said filmmaker Roopak Gogoi.
Garg started with his acting career in Tumi Mur Mathu Mur (2000), but his performance failed to hit the mark. But over time, as his popularity exploded, he would make special appearances in movies, for his songs. In 2017 and 2019, he delivered the blockbusters Mission China and Kanchanjangha, respectively, which he also produced, followed by Dr Bezbaurah 2 (2023).
In the last 10 years, he had become a star, a voice that could unite people not just in concerts but in social and political causes too.
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The political Zubeen
The singer relentlessly spoke out against the Citizenship Amendment Act, and became a leading voice in the protests in 2019 in Assam. Even as fellow members of the industry soon opted for political careers, eventually accepting the act, Garg steadfastly refused to align himself with any political party, choosing to focus instead on resistance through art.
“I will die but not allow the Citizenship Amendment Act. The government should feel the pain of people of Assam but they are killing children,” said Zubeen Garg, who was part of the Artist Association of Assam, and led protests against the implementation of the legislation.
In 2024, when a fellow composer Manas Robin criticised Garg for not being political enough, the singer put out a post on Facebook.
“Young men have been dying over and over again in Assam, since the days of the Assam movement and the terror of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) to now, CAA. No more youngsters will die in Assam,” he wrote.
In 2020, during a surge in Covid cases, Garg offered his two-story house in Guwahati to be converted into a care centre. Long before that, his album Shishu (2002) spoke of the pain of the mothers who lost their songs to insurgency, and Jantra (2004) about the many problems that plague Assamese modern society.
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Awards and accolades
Garg’s first award was for a self-composed song Gaane ki Aane which he sang during the varsity week of Guwahati University. Then in 1992, his first album Aamika came. With Maya, he became a voice that would play across tape recorders and loud speakers across Assam.
“He was initially seen as a massy singer, popular with the common people. But as he dominated the music space year after year, even the elite had to concede that he was a force to reckon with,” said Gogoi.
Garg’s career took a major turn in the 2000s when he collaborated with Assamese director Munin Baruah to deliver some of the most popular Assamese songs in movies like Hiya Diya Niya (2000), Nayak (2001) and Kanyadaan (2002), where he was both the music director and also the singer of most of the songs.
The singer operated between Guwahati and Mumbai, where he made a mark with the song Ya Ali from Gangster (2006), Jaane Kya from Shaadi Ke Side Effects (2006), and Dilruba in Namastey London (2007). He won the Stardust Award for Best New Musical Sensation (Male) for Ya Ali, and was also nominated for the Filmfare awards. His album, Zindagi, also earned him an award.
He followed it up with the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for Echoes of Silence. He has won multiple state film awards, and was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degree by the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya in 2024.
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The cult status
Garg was a pop culture figure, akin to no other. Young men would garland the singer, even prostrating before the man who was largely irreverent of divisive lines, be it along caste, religion or even politics. He lent his voice naam-kirtan with the same zeal as zikir, a form of devotional song associated with Sufism, and unique to Assam.
Born a Brahmin, Garg was a self-proclaimed ascetic.
Garg was the music director of the Assamese movie Bhaimon Da along with Poran Borkakoty, which became the top grosser. He was also a part of the film’s plot where his role was played by Partha Pratim Hazarika. His performance was lauded by the singer, and reels about his entry in the film went viral on social media in Assam.
In 2020, a bamboo bridge in Thepabari village in Tinsukia district of Assam was named after the singer. The singer also unveiled his own 20-feet tall statue in 2023, built in his honour in Digboi.
Garg’s final movie, Roi Roi Binale, directed by Rajesh Bhuyan, is set to be released in October. It is Assam’s first ever musical.
(Edited by Anurag Chaubey)