Assamese Singer-composer Zubeen Garg’s sudden death has sent shockwaves across the music industry. Anu Malik, who collaborated with Zubeen on the music album of the film Fiza (2000), revealed in an interview that the singer had a health issue where he would get sudden black outs.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Anu recalled, “He was such a gentle, loving soul. I had met him first through a person from Assam. I made him sing in Fiza, and we got along like a house on fire. He was very emotional about his sister who he had lost in an accident. He used to sing in Assamese Bengali, Manipuri, Boro, even Marathi, he had told me! Malyali songs as well. His live concerts were deadly.”
Anu said that Zubeen had told him about his health concern. “He used to tell me he has blackouts suddenly. I told him ‘go and get yourself checked’ Then we lost track (of it) over the years. Usne phone bhi nahi kiya, chala gaya (He didn’t call back too and went away). The call of the hills, of his own Assam was very strong,” Anu said
Anu added, “He was very proud of my music in Border. I would keep telling him to be in Mumbai, he would get more work, but he never wanted to leave his place. One day he told me ‘Anu sir I don’t want to come back to Mumbai. ‘Aap bula loge toh aa jaaunga, aur gaana gaate hi nikal jaaunga vaapis (I will come when you call me to sing and go back) Assam because I am more interested in social work’ He used to go and help people affected in the floods, he was running a charity. I was very close to him, he would keep telling me about the work undertaken.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that Zubeen died while swimming in the sea without wearing a life jacket.
Zubeen was known for his work in films and music across Assamese and Hindi films. He shot to fame with the song, ‘Ya Ali’ from Emraan Hashmi’s Gangster (2005) and has given his vocals to tracks like, ‘Dil Tu Hi Bataa’ from Krrish 3 (2013), ‘Yeh Kaisi Jagah’ from Hamari Adhuri Kahani (2015), and more recently in ‘Roothoon’ from Who Bhi Din The (2024).