Zubeen Garg

Zubeen Garg (born Zubeen Borthakur; 18 November 1972) is an Indian singer, music director, composer, lyricist, music producer, actor, film director, film producer, script writer and philanthropist. He primarily works for and sings in the Assamese, Bengali and Hindi-language film and music industries, but has sung in many other languages and dialects, including Bishnupriya Manipuri, Boro, English, Goalpariya, Kannada, Karbi, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Tiwa. He is also an instrumentalist and plays 12 instruments including dhol, dotara, drums, guitar, harmonica, harmonium, mandolin, keyboard, tabla and various percussion instruments. He is Assam’s highest-paid singer. His younger sister Palmee Borthakur is also a singer, but she is a professor.

Early life

Garg was born in a brahmin family at Tura, Meghalaya to Mohini Borthakur and Ily Borthakur. He was named after the music composer Zubin Mehta. His father Mohini Borthakur is a lyricist and poet under the name Kapil Thakur. Garg pursued a degree in Bachelor of Science but dropped out to concentrate in his singing career.

Career

Beginning singing career after dropout his college (1992-1995)

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Garg got his confidence to become a 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 1992. His first composed song from this album was “Gaane Ki Aane” which he composed at the age of 13. He later released many other albums and film songs such as Maya (1994), Asha (1995), Ujaan Piriti (1995), etc.

Bollywood singing career (1995-present)

In the mid 1995, Garg moved to Mumbai to work in the Bollywood music industry where he debut his first Indipop solo album Chandni Raat. Later, he recorded few Hindi albums and films songs like Yuhi Kabhi, Dil Se, Fiza, Sparsh, Mere Liye, Nupur and Kaante. In 2004 he sung “Aane wala pal” from the movie Plan, “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.

Apart from singing in his Bollywood and Assamese industries, he debuted in Bengali music industry in 2003 where he sung two songs in the movie Mon. In the next year he sung three songs in the movie Shudhu Tumi and also was the music director in the film.

In 2005 he sung “O bondhure” and “Lagena Bhalo” in the film Premi. In 2008 he got a big break in the movies Mon Mane Na, Love story, Chirodini Tumi Je Amar and Golmaal. His 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 became very popular.

He got the biggest break in Bollywood from the movie Gangster where he sang the song “Ya ali”. The movie and the song was one of the biggest hits of 2006. The song brought him the best playback singer Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA) in 2006. His next Hindi album Zindagi was released in 2007 which was highly appreciated. Some of his discography songs in various Indian languages along with his various co-artists includes Bollywood singers Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Sagarika, Shweta Shetty, Suneeta Rao, Alisha Chinai, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Tarali Sarma, Bhitali Das, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Shankar Mahadevan, Raageshwari, Zublee Baruah, Diganta Bharati, Queen Hazarika, Debojit Saha, Shanta Uzir, Mitali Chaudhary, Shweta Mohan, Deeplina Deka etc.

Personal life

Garg’s younger sister Jonkey 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 two albums Akou Hiyamon and Xixhu in 2002, in the memory of Jonkey Borthakur.

Garg married Garima Saikia, a fashion designer from Golaghat, Assam on 4 February 2002.

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 the main non-political figure of the Anti-CAA protest in Assam.

Discography

As a music director

Films

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Garg won the “Best Music Direction” for the film Echoes Of Silence in the 55th National Film Awards. He was nominated for the “Best Music Direction” for the film Dinabandhu in the 52nd National Film Awards.

Television

Theater

As a composer and lyricist

As an actor

Films

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Garg played the lead role in Mon Jaai, for which he was nominated for the “Best Actor” in the 56th National Film Awards. He was nominated for the “Best Supporting Actor” for the film Dinabandhu in the 52nd National Film Awards.

Television

As a director

Films

Theater

As a producer, script writer and poet

Producer

Script writer

As a poet

He got Seuji-Seuji award for his poetry book in 2017.

As a judge

Awards and honours

Zubeen Garg has received the following recognitions for his successful work in the industry.

Collaboration with musician and lyricist