Zubeen Garg:the Don of the Assamese 
Entertainment INDUSTRY

This is perhaps the hardest thing to do, having to write about an elder brother figure, mentor, one of the finest singers of our time with the Guinness world record for most songs recorded, the Don of the Assamese Entertainment Industry and the most loved person in Assam.
Before we go any further I have to say everyone has a Zubeen Da story and its impossible to summarise his life, accolades, the impact he had in one article but this is Zubeen Da’s story from my family and my perspective with the limited and blessed time we had with him.

I will tear up several times during the course of writing this article but what comes will definitely come straight from the heart.
A lot of Assamese people will also agree that crying for his departed soul is definitely beyond our control. The whole state has been mourning him for the last 4 days. Sleeping and eating meals has become a difficult task, all workplaces remain shut, at every corner of the city you will find a photo of him laden with flowers, speakers blaring his music and an ocean of people headed towards a stadium where his body remains in a glass coffin for people to pay homage. In fact his funeral procession just made it to the record books for having the largest gathering since Michael Jackson, Pope Francis and Queen Elizabeth. Michael Jackson being the only other artist on the list.

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So what really makes this man such a phenomenon?

The internet will tell you that Zubeen Garg played 12 instruments, sang close to 40,000 songs in over 40 languages, won the Star Dust award for his 2006 hit ‘Ya Ali’ from the Film Gangster apart from several other awards. However to the people of Assam Zubeen Da (as we love to call him) was a people’s champion. He would never shy away from standing up to ministers, politicians, making controversial statements and putting things bluntly at press conferences and interviews. A total Rockstar in every sense. He identified as apolitical, caste-less and a socialist. In an interview a reputed journalist once asked him “Where would you say you are from?” and he replied nonchalantly “I am from the streets and I wish to be with the people from the streets.” So it’s no surprise that at his funeral procession there were people from all strata of society.
Old, Young, Rich and the Poor all waiting in line for hours just to touch his coffin.

Coming from humble beginnings and leaving his town (Jorhat) in a bicycle with a keyboard towards Guwahati, Zubeen Da earned his initial fame by winning inter-college singing competitions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One time his college (B.Barooah, Guwahati) didn’t have anyone for the Western Solo Singing category at the Youth festival and Cotton College (another reputed college in Assam) was winning by a single medal. Zubeen Da was forced by friends to participate and he won them the Gold medal. The very same day he claims is when he became a hero in the college and released his first album – Anamika (1992) soon after, which was an instant hit.

His College Principal was concerned for him when he walked out of the exam hall without writing his exams but he reassured his Principal that I will survive and feed myself through my music. The Principal amused by his confidence let him go. Exactly a year later his college (B.Barooah) had its Golden Jubilee celebrations and Zubeen Da was invited as the Chief Guest to sit right next to the same Principal. The Principal was shocked but at the same time proud of him that he managed to get that respect and recognition in a single year’s time.

Soon after he moved to Mumbai (1995) and my father who happened to be the secretary of the Assam Association got wind of this young star from Assam that had been making waves since his debut album. Father decided it was time to start hosting Bihu events in Mumbai atleast once a year where singers performed and people got together to dance in unison. He took a solid liking to Zubeen Da and from there on he began performing annually at the Bihu festival there. A friendship between him and our family kindled. Soon enough he began to make a new fan base in Mumbai as well. My earliest memory with him is from 1998 when my Mother was performing at a Bihu event in Santacruz and Zubeen Da rushed up on stage to do a live jam with her. He played the harmonium for her as she sang. I had never quite seen anything like it. I fell in love with improvising music on stage from there on and began following his music closely.

   

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My Dad had rented out one of his flats above our floor to a talented Assamese music producer by the name of Jayanta Pathak in Mumbai. Zubeen Da and him had connected during his time at Unity Compound in Juhu.
It was very inspiring circle of Assamese musicians and sound engineers who were making waves in Mumbai. A lot of them are National Award nominees and winners now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Jayanta and Zubeen Da started recording his first set of Hindi songs, the Jalwa album being his first. ‘Yuhi Kahi’ (starring Monjoy Mukherjee - famous Actor Joy Mukherjee’s son, Kajol’s cousin) was his first song to release with a music video. The Gang had received the music video on a VHS tape  but they didn’t have a system to watch it on. We used to have a VHS player at home during those days (a rare luxury). So the 3 of them came downstairs to watch his first Hindi Music video at our place. Jayanta was also terrified of my Dad as apart from being his landlord he was a strict disciplinarian (owing to his FTTI and Hollywood film production background) so he told Zubeen Da my father will definitely scold him if he doesn’t take a shower and wear fresh clothes before entering his house. Zubeen Da will tell you in several of his interviews how he would record through the night and fall asleep on the studio sofa often. But my father would have none of that excuse so Zubeen Da had to shower and put on Jayanta’s 3XL shirt and before coming down to our home. He was trying to hide behind Jayanta but Dad noticed him and the large dress like 3XL t-shirt on Zubeen Da’s lean body became amusement of the evening. Jayanta would later bring Zubeen Da on board to record an album with KK and Leslie Louis as well. Perhaps the first time these 3 legends would work on a project together.

A few months later as we drove through Mumbai city together Dad, Mum, Zubeen Da and his wife Garima (at the time his girlfriend). Mum said “Rahul is a big fan of yours.” He laughed and asked “Tikla (little one in Assamese) sing for me”, As a 3.5 year old child I tried, strained and said plainly “your songs are just too difficult to sing” We all had a good laugh and dropped the both of them at the Andheri station.

I would meet him next in 2010 backstage at one of my Mum’s events. By the time he was a Superstar, having made his mark in Bollywood with his break through hit ‘Ya Ali’ produced by Pritam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Subah Subah’ produced by Vishal-Shekhar where we see Shah Rukh, Arjun Rampal and Hritik Roshan vibing to Zubeen Da’s voice in the streets of London, and several other songs that would be regular on Channel V and MTV.  

I introduced myself and he was surprised to see me and still thought of me as the same child, rubbing my head and exclaiming “Tiklaa!” we exchanged phone numbers and promised to be in touch. I told him few more years and I will be close to performing with him.
There was something about the way Zubeen Da gave you audience. I’m sure everyone who has met him will tell you the same. No extra air, the same accessibility, love and humility but what surprised me is why Zubeen Da chose to return to Assam after conquering Bollywood like that. His answer was simple his heart lay with the people of Assam. The film Industry was on a downward spiral and he needed to bring the Assamese Industry back with the entirety of his might and there begins the era of Zubeen Da, the Don of the Assamese Entertainment Industry. He dedicated the next decade to making visually appealing films and music videos, touring extensively and working tirelessly to create a foundation where upcoming artists like us could flourish. The live music Industry in Assam thrived because of him.

After years of advice through text messages on how to be a Rebel, disrupt the scene through music and how to perfect a sound.
We next met in 2019 while performing at a Music Festival in Thailand together.

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By now I had began making a name for myself as a socially conscious rapper from JNU and I realised unknowingly I was following his footsteps in becoming a voice of dissent. He was obviously very proud as I sent him my videos and article links of all the national press writing about my music. 
We were both featured on the Thai National Newspaper on the eve of our performance, we high fived each other backstage and His first question after greetings like always was “Kiba khali” (Have you eaten something?).
Which would then be followed by some extremely homely questions like a cousin brother or a neighbour who has seen you grow up would ask you and exactly 15 mins later he would be up on stage enthralling large audiences. Its moments like these that made you realise Zubeen Da was such a people’s person. That’s exactly what made him so loveable. I have met a lot of famous personalities, singers, actors in my time and there was no one quite like him. If Zubeen Da asked you about family, your health, your problems there was something genuine in his eyes. He spent most of his wealth helping people with financial issues. Sometimes he would even breakdown on stage thinking about people who he couldn’t save on time.

Between 2021-22 I was lucky enough to spend quite a few days with him in the studio. I had become a History teacher in an IB School in Bangalore by now but because of the 2nd and 3rd wave of the pandemic I had to be home in Assam. I dropped him a text and he asked me to come visit him at photo-studio where he was doing a brand shoot. Dad came along and it was a very happy reunion. The whole photoshoot turned into a laugh riot as both of them recalled stories from their days in Mumbai in the 90s. Zubeen Da ordered Momos from Fat Belly and for once that studio space felt like home as we ate different kinds of Momo and deliberated on its flavour and the tummy problems that would come with it the next day.
 

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Dad left early as I waited till Zubeen Da finished his shoot and then we drove to his studio in the night, his big car was filled with bags of fertilizers, boxes of seeds he was planning to sow and vegetables he wanted to grow in his studio compound. He was very passionate about farming and tree plantation. As we drove through the quiet streets of Guwahati in the night, he told me stories of the political situation in Assam and how him and the CM would get on call sometimes, take drives like these in the city late in the night and deliberate on decisions taken by the Government and if they were good for Guwahati. That’s when I realised Zubeen Da was no longer just a music star and a philanthropist even the Government would take Zubeen Da’s opinions on policies. He had in his own way become a part of the machinery that ran the State. Still not afraid to speak against the system, still humorous as ever, infact even more extreme, still feared, still respected, still loved and most importantly empathetic.
As a student of Political Science and International Relations that really intrigued. He told me to come spend my remaining few days in Guwahati with him at the Studio before I left for Bangalore again. So I went after my exhaustive online classes as often as possible to learn from him, his recording process, listen to his stories, watch the aura he commanded. There were close to 20 people outside the studio everyday to take pictures with him, seek help, take his counsel. Some would need help with rent, someone had a medical problem, Zubeen Da wouldn’t say no to anyone. He was this Robin Hood, Pablo Escobar figure with a heart too big to deny anyone help even if it meant he would have to work harder and longer hours at the studio.

The plan was to collaborate with Zubeen Da but that never happened as I was making English Music at the time and he said “but Rahul my people want Assamese music. When you are ready for that let me know.” So most of my evenings were spent watching him record, then we would talk about Guitars, The Peaky Blinders, western artists he liked, what he plans to plant next in his studio garden, taking walks in the garden, listening to his unreleased music, sharing film ideas and concepts of music videos. Sometimes the Studio room would be filled with people sitting on the floor, He would be sitting on a stool like the Grand old chief of a village and me sitting right next to his feet and he would say “Rahul I never had a son, be my son” and while I would try to process the weight of that statement, he would look up at the gathering, address their problems and then entertain them with his stories so they could go back home relieved and happy.

Now when I look back these were such precious moments but I was still headstrong and angry about the fact that I spent all this time with him and I was still not good enough to work on a song with him.

The next couple of years I got busy trying to make my mark in Assamese music so he would take me seriously and I am guilty of not keeping in touch like I should have and yes that kills me after all those weeks of spending such quality time together.

The last time I met Zubeen Da was in 2024. Backstage at the Rongali Festival in Guwahati where we were both performing on the same line up again.

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I had just won my first National Award for Best Folk song of the year with ICONYK for my Assamese song Toradoi. After our performance when we were chilling in the green room we got news that Zubeen Da had arrived backstage too. I told ICONYK (My music producer) we have to go meet him. Dressed in a Red Vest, black shorts and his signature hat. Surrounded by other VIPs He greeted us so warmly like no time had elapsed between our last meeting and now at all.
He was overjoyed when he found out that ICONYK was from Canada. Instantly remembering his days from Toronto, he said you guys have to come to my new studio. He told me Rahul you better bring him. At that moment he heard someone singing on stage and told us to just wait for a couple of minutes.
We follow him and see he is on stage the very next moment. He has taken the microphone like the Principal of a school and is teaching the performing artist on stage (who is also an upcoming star) how to do the notes right. With 10,000 people in the audience watching and cheering him as Zubeen Da hits these magical notes. The band on stage humbly listens, because when Zubeen Da schools you, you listen. The ordeal lasts a minute or 2 and when Zubeen Da walks off stage the performer’s act has just been enhanced by several leagues as the audience rages. Then he was back in the green room with us like nothing happened. We took a bunch of funny boomerangs and videos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He told me one more time in Assamese Rahul bring him to the studio and he looked at ICONYK like he was an old friend from Toronto, “You are here right? I’ll see you tomorrow” and then as he exited the green room, a sea of people rushed up to take pictures with him as his security escorted him out like a violent zombie apocalypse was on its way.

It was the first time ICONYK was meeting him, since he was born and raised in Canada and Delhi but even he couldn’t deny the aura and charisma this man possessed. Zubeen Da had this unexplainable charm about him. You just had to meet him once to experience that.
The next day we had a music video shoot and we couldn’t go meet him at the studio and I will have to carry the weight of not meeting him the next day for the rest of my life.

So a couple of months later when I moved to a different country and my mother shared the news of his passing with me. I was choked with utmost grief as I am sure the rest of the state was. Crying for him is something that you can’t control if you knew the man he was.
The state lost a legend, I lost a close one and as I saw videos of people moving like an ocean in his funeral procession I realised he was the closest thing to a Demi-God our State and country will ever see. He did after all exclaim proudly that when he dies the state will shut down for 7 days.
 

Ofcourse its an emotional time and it does hurt when people say that they never knew of him but this is an opportunity to delve into the miracle that Zubeen Garg was. The body of work he has left behind will take an entire lifetime to explore. Very few people have the audacity and altruistic spirit to leave the apex film industry in the country when you are at the peak to come back to your home turf and start work at the Grassroots level again.
Zubeen Da walked so that the next generation of artists like us from Assam could run. He was a total Rockstar in its truest sense and they don’t make Rockstars like him anymore. He would often say that Lord Krishna was a human being but he was definitely a man of such significance that people made him a God. If one sees how the state of Assam mourns and celebrates his life without any division in the ranks its hard not to picture that in an age without social media and cameras but statues and sculptures Zubeen Da would have definitely been a considered a deity.