Zubeen Garg: How One Voice Became The Soundtrack Of Assam

Guwahati: A year after Zubeen Garg's voice fell silent, his songs continue to fill Assam's homes, Bihu stages, college campuses, cars and concert grounds. His death ended the life of one of the Northeast's most versatile artists, but it did little to diminish the extraordinary relationship he had built with his audience over more than three decades.

Zubeen was not simply a singer who became popular in Assam. He became part of the soundscape of the state itself, singing about love, loneliness, youth, nature, rebellion and everyday life in a voice that could move from a soft melody to rock, folk and contemporary music with equal ease.

Born in Tura, Meghalaya, in 1972 and raised across different parts of Assam, Zubeen grew up surrounded by music and literature. His father, poet and government official Mohini Mohon Borthakur, and his mother, singer Ily Borthakur, played an important role in his early musical journey. He learnt tabla at a young age and went on to master several instruments.

His professional breakthrough came in 1992 with Anamika. The album introduced a young, energetic voice that sounded distinctly different from what Assamese popular music had heard before. Songs such as Maya and Mayabini Ratir Bukut helped establish him as a youth icon, while later albums including Aasha, Mukti and Pakhi strengthened his position in the Assamese music industry.

Zubeen's music was never restricted to one genre or language. He sang in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali and several other languages, including Bodo, Nepali, Tiwa, Karbi, Bhojpuri and Tamil. His ability to combine rock, folk, classical and contemporary influences became one of the defining features of his music.

Mumbai and Beyond

His entry into the Hindi film industry gave him a national audience. In 2006, Ya Ali from 'Gangster' became a major hit and introduced his voice to millions of listeners outside the Northeast. He also lent his voice to Hindi films including Fiza, Kaante, Namastey London and Krrish 3. Yet Bollywood never replaced Assam at the centre of his artistic identity.

Zubeen was equally restless as a filmmaker and actor. He acted in films, composed music and directed projects including 'Mission China' and 'Kanchanjangha'. His career also included work as a lyricist, music director, producer and multi-instrumentalist. His contribution to Indian cinema earned him a National Film Award, among several other honours. But awards alone cannot measure his importance to Assam.

An Artist of the People

Zubeen's relationship with people was central to his popularity. He performed at large concerts and local Bihu programmes alike, and remained unusually accessible to ordinary fans. He also supported humanitarian causes, including relief work and initiatives involving artists and vulnerable communities. His outspoken nature and willingness to speak on social and cultural issues further strengthened his image as an artist who did not always follow the expected path.

His personal life, too, carried moments of deep loss. The death of his younger sister Jonkie Borthakur, herself a singer and actor, in a road accident in 2002 was a major tragedy in his life. He was married to Garima Saikia Garg.

The Circumstances of His Death

On September 19, 2025, Zubeen died in Singapore while he was there ahead of the North East India Festival. He drowned in waters near Lazarus Island after entering the water during a yacht outing. In March 2026, Singapore's State Coroner ruled his death an accidental drowning and found no evidence of foul play. At the same time, proceedings concerning his death have continued in Assam, making the circumstances of his final hours the subject of ongoing legal proceedings.

What followed his death was perhaps the clearest indication of what Zubeen had become. Millions mourned him. His final journey in Assam drew an unprecedented public response, while people across the Northeast and Assamese communities outside the region gathered to sing his songs and remember him.

From Mourning to Remembrance

Anamika, Mayabini, Ya Ali and thousands of other songs are now more than recordings. They are memories of different stages of people's lives. For one generation, Zubeen was the young voice arriving with a cassette in the 1990s. For another, he was the Bollywood singer behind Ya Ali. For many younger listeners, he was the performer, filmmaker and cultural figure they grew up watching on stage and screen. That is perhaps why his legacy cannot be contained in the words singer, actor or composer.

Zubeen Garg became a soundtrack to Assam because his music travelled with its people from villages to cities, from Bihu stages to Bollywood, from childhood memories to adulthood. A year after his death, the voice is gone. The songs are not.

Also Read: A Year Without Zubeen Garg: Voice That Became Its Soul