On September 19, Assam's renowned singer, composer, and actor Zubeen Garg passed away in Singapore at the age of just 52. One of the most popular Indian artistes of his generation, Zubeen transcended the boundaries of music, cinema, and language to become a true cultural icon.
As his grieving admirers revisited his timeless songs following the news of his death, came another piece of news — his dream Assamese film "Roi Roi Binale" was released today, exactly on the day he had planned to release it. However, 42 days ago, he left for eternity. On the day of its release, emotions ran high among fans, many of whom broke down in tears while watching the film. The release sparked tremendous excitement across Assam, with ticket prices soaring. Yet, devoted fans thronged to cinemas, eager to see their beloved artiste on screen one last time.
Popular Assamese filmmaker Rajesh Bhuyan shared with Indian media, "This film was very close to Zubeen da's heart. He was deeply involved in every aspect — the story, the music, and the lyrics." Bhuyan further added, "We worked on the film for three years. Everything was completed except for the background score. So, even after his death, we decided to keep his original voice recordings in the film."
Around 80 to 90 per cent of the film's dialogues and songs feature Zubeen's own voice, captured through a lapel microphone. As a result, audiences will once again hear his distinctive voice in theatres — a deeply emotional return from the screen of life to the screen of eternity.
As the release day drew near, ticket prices suddenly surged across cinemas in Assam and other parts of India. Local audiences complained that producers and theatre owners were taking advantage of the emotional moment surrounding Zubeen's death. "Zubeen da would never have tolerated this if he were alive," one fan wrote on social media.
However, the organisers explained that due to the overwhelming public interest, technical and security expenses had increased. Still, this explanation offered little comfort to the general audience and instead fuelled further frustration.
Zubeen Garg was not only a legend in Assam's music scene but also a well-known name across India. His Bollywood song "Ya Ali" (from Gangster, 2006) brought him nationwide recognition.
A rare talent, Zubeen sang in more than forty languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Nepali, and several regional tongues. He received a National Award for Best Music Direction for the film "Echoes of Silence".