# Zubeen Garg

Zubeen Garg (born Zubeen Borthakur Assamese pronunciation:; 18 November 1972) is an Indian singer–songwriter, composer, lyricist, music director, music producer, actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, poet and philanthropist. He primarily works for and sings in the Assamese, Bengali and Hindi-language film and music industries, but has sung in 40 other languages and dialects, including Bishnupriya Manipuri, Boro, English, Goalpariya, Kannada, Karbi, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Mising, Nepali, Odia, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Tiwa. He is also a multi-instrumentalist and plays 12 instruments including anandalahari, dhol, dotara, drums, guitar, harmonica, harmonium, mandolin, keyboard, tabla and various percussion instruments. He is Assam's highest-paid singer.
In 2011, Zubeen Garg was honoured as a guest artist of the year by the Assam Convention, at Oakbrook in Chicago, United States.

## Personal life

Garg was born to an Assamese Brahmin family at Tura, Meghalaya to Mohini Mohon Borthakur and Late Ily Borthakur. He was named after the music composer Zubin Mehta and used his gotra Garg as his surname. His father Mohini Borthakur was a Magistrate, and is a lyricist and a poet under the name Kapil Thakur and his mother Late Ily Borthakur was a singer.
Garg's younger sister Jongki Borthakur was an actress and singer who died in a car accident in February 2002 in Sonitpur district while they were going to perform stage show along with her co-artists. He had released the album Xixhu in 2002, in the memory of Jonkey Borthakur. His another sister is Dr. Palme Borthakur.
Garg passed his matriculation exam in Tamulpur Higher Secondary School and then pursued a degree in Bachelor of Science in B. Borooah College but dropped out to concentrate in his singing career.
Garg married Garima Saikia, a fashion designer from Golaghat, Assam on 4 February 2002.
Garg considers himself irreligious and says that he does not have any caste or religion.
On 27 May 2024, Zubeen Garg was awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degree by the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya.

### Controversies

In 2019, the artist faced a controversy when he said, “I am Brahmin, but I have snapped my ‘lagun’ (a sacred thread worn by Brahmins) in the movie. I had removed the thread earlier, and still don't wear it. These Brahmins should be killed”. Later he apologized for this statement.
In April 2024, during Bihu concert, he said to the crowd that Krishna, a Hindu deity, was never God but a man, and he was subsequently banned from Majuli District Satra Mahasabha.

## Starting of musical life

Garg started to sing from the age of three. His first guru was his mother from where he learnt to sing and then he learnt tabla from Pandit Robin Banerjee for 11 years. Guru Ramani Rai acquainted him with Assamese folk. Garg was composing songs from his school days and used to give to singers to sing.

## Singing career
### Beginning of singing career (1992–1995)

Garg got his confidence to become a professional singer when he got gold medal for his western solo performance in youth festival held in 1992. And after this he entered into professional music with his debut Assamese album Anamika, which was released in November 1992. Garg's first recorded songs were "Tumi Junu Pariba Hun" and "Tumi Junaki Hubakh" for the album Ritu but was released in 1993. He released many other albums such as Xapunor Xur (1992), Junaki Mon (1993), Maya (1994), Asha (1995) etc. Before he moved to Mumbai in 1995, he released his first bihu album Ujan Piriti which was a commercial success.

### Bollywood singing career (1995–2013)

In the mid-1995, Garg moved to Mumbai to work in the Bollywood music industry where he debuted his first Indipop solo album Chandni Raat. Later, he recorded few Hindi albums and remix songs like Chanda (1996), Shradhaanjali vol: 1,2,3 (1996-97), Jalwa (1998), Yuhi Kabhi (1998), Jadoo (1999), Sparsh (2000), etc. He got to sing for different films like Gaddaar (1995), Dil Se (1998), Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998), Fiza (2000), Kaante (2002). In 2003, he sung "Sapne Saare" and "khwabon Ki" from the movie Mudda-The Issue, "Mango Agar Dil Se Toh Khuda" from the movie Chupke Se, "Holi Re" from the movie Mumbai se Aiya Mera Dost and "Jo Pyar tumne" from the movie Jaal: The Trap.

### Bengali singing career (2003–2017)

Apart from singing in his Bollywood and Assamese industries, he debuted in the Bengali music industry in 2003 where he sang two songs in the movie Mon. In the next year, he sang three songs in the movie Shudhu Tumi and was the film's music director. In 2005 he sang"O Bondhure" and "Lagena Bhalo" in the film Premi.

### Breakthrough Song "Ya Ali" and more (2006–presents)

He got the biggest break in Bollywood from the movie Gangster where he sang the song "Ya Ali". The song brought him the best playback singer Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA) in 2006. His next Hindi album Zindagi was released in 2007. In 2008 he recorded several Bengali songs like "Mon mane Na" from" the movie Mon Mane Na, "Piya re Piya re" from the movie Chirodini Tumi je Amaar, and "Mon jete chay shudhu" from the movie Love story

## Social work

Garg runs a charity, the Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, which donates money for various causes. He urged people to donate clothes, medicines and contributions when devastating floods hit Assam. He took on the issue over corruption in APSC recruitment in his movie Kanchanjangha.
He is a football fan and has played matches to collect funds for flood-affected people.
Garg was one of the main non-political figure of the Anti-CAA protest in Assam. In May 2021, during a surge in COVID-19 cases, Garg offered his two-storeyed house in Guwahati to be converted into a COVID Care Centre. This generous act aimed to address the rising demand for beds for patients in the critical time.

## Legacy

As a mark of respect and to celebrate Garg, a 20 foot tall statue has been set up. It was unveiled by the singer himself on 2 December 2022 during the Nazirating Tamuli Tourism Festival in Digboi. Bamboo bridge built across the Na Dihing river by villagers of Tengapani and named after Zubeen Garg is inaugurated by the singer himself at Tengapani-Thepabari on 29 February 2020.

## Filmography
### As an actor
#### Films

Garg played the lead role in Mon Jaai, which won Best Feature Film in Assamese at 56th National Film Awards.
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Role(s) | Language | Notes |
| 2000 | Tumi Mur Matho Mur | Hrishi | Assamese | Debut film |
| 2002 | Prem Aru Prem | Special appearance in the song "Sokuwe Sokuwe" | Assamese | |
| 2004 | Dinabandhu | Bipul | Assamese | |
| 2006 | Gangster | Special appearance in the song "Ya Ali" | Hindi | |
| 2006 | Strings | Special appearance in the song "Mantra (Om)" | Hindi |
| 2007 | Big Brother | Special appearance in the song "Jag Lal Lal" | Hindi | |
| 2008 | Mon Jaai | Manab | Assamese | |
| 2011 | Raamdhenu | Special appearance in the song "Tupi" | Assamese | |
| 2013 | Bhal Pabo Najanilu | Indranil | Assamese | |
| 2014 | Suma Porokhote | Special appearance in the song "Suma Porokhote" | Assamese | |
| 2014 | Rodor Sithi | | Assamese | |
| 2015 | Ahetuk | Special appearance in the song "Ahetuk" | Assamese | |
| 2016 | Gaane Ki Aane | Nilabh Jonak Baruah | Assamese | |
| 2016 | Xat Nomboror Xondhanot | Sibu | Assamese | |
| 2017 | Mission China | Colonel Goswami | Assamese | |
| 2017 | Tumi Aahibaane | Special appearance | Assamese | |
| 2017 | Priyaar Priyo | Priyobrot Kakoti & Bishnujyoti Bezbaruah | Assamese | |
| 2018 | The Underworld | Don | Assamese | |
| 2019 | Kanchanjangha | Anirban | Assamese | |
| 2019 | Pratighaat | Special appearance in the song "Pratighaat" | Assamese | |
| 2022 | Rajneeti - Part 1 | Arindam | Assamese | |
| 2023 | Dr. Bezbaruah 2 | DSP Mahadev Borbarua | Assamese | |
| 2024 | Wide Angle | | Assamese | |
| 2024 | Sikaar | Shankar | Assamese | This film marks zubeen's first film to be shot outside India and will be Assamese's third film after Ahir Bhairav and Hiya Diya Niya |

#### Television

| Year | TV Channel(s) | Serial(s) | Role | Language |
| 2010–11 | Rang | Anuradha | Anirudh | Assamese |

### As a director
#### Films

| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Language |
| 2000 | Tumi Mur Mathu Mur | Assamese |
| 2017 | Mission China | Assamese |
| 2019 | Kanchanjangha | Assamese |

### As a producer and screenwriter
#### Producer

| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Language |
| 2004 | Dinabandhu | Assamese |
| 2017 | Mission China | Assamese |
| 2019 | Kanchanjangha | Assamese |
| TBA | Dustbin (upcoming) † | Hindi |

#### Screenwriter

| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Language |
| 2000 | Tumi Mur Mathu Mur | Assamese |
| 2017 | Mission China | Assamese |
| 2019 | Kanchanjangha | Assamese |
| TBA | Roi Roi Binale † | Assamese |
| TBA | Dustbin (upcoming) † | Hindi |

### As a judge

| Year | TV Channel | Show(s) | Language | Notes |
| 2002 | Zee TV | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa | Hindi | Guest judge |
| 2004 | Zee TV | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa | Hindi | Guest judge |
| 2007–08 | Zee Bangla | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs | Bengali | |
| 2013 | Zee Bangla | Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs | Bengali | Guest judge |
| 2013–14 | Rengoni | Moi Zubeen Garg Hobo Bisaru | Assamese | |