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Photo: V.V. Krishnan

Singing a different tune Zubeen Garg

His eyes are bloodshot red, he looks tired as well. But the moment you pronounce the word ‘music’, it works like a glucose injection and composer-singer Zubeen Garg is suddenly back in his elements. “Oh, I haven’t slept a bit. I was awake till 4 a.m., as I was working and rushed directly to the airport to catch my flight from Guwahati to reach here. Yesterday alone, I sang 15 songs. You know, this is the peak season in Assam and the folk culture just comes alive. Twenty eight songs in a day has been my record so far. At this rate, I will surely make it to the Guinness Book of World Records,” says the musician from Assam, who’s settled in Mumbai now.

Over the years, Zubeen has worked with most of the 250 Assam tribes to develop their music and bring it to the mainstream.

Now touring to promote his latest album, Zindagi, Zubeen is ecstatic about the way his career has shaped up. His debut pop album, he says, is very poetic and brings together the various colours of life. “It has no garam and masala pieces. I have collaborated with my friend Alaap for this album. Zindagi has a mix of Indian and Western music. There’s my favourite Sufi and Assamese folk music as well. Plus, it includes a couple of remixes for club purpose,” he elucidates. The album also has Shafqat Ali Khan from Pakistan and well-known South Indian singer Chitra lending their voices.

“Ya Ali” did to Zubeen, what “Chaiya Chaiya” perhaps did to Sukhwinder Singh – brought him under the spotlight. But after giving music to 24 Assamese films, besides a few Bengali movies, and over 40 albums to his name, Zubeen is still mistaken to be a newcomer by many. “That’s how it is in Mumbai – one hit and you are everywhere. But people in the industry don’t treat me like that as I have been around for a decade now. In Assam, everyone knows me,” says the 35-year-old, who sang in films like Fiza, Kaante, Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Victoria No. 203.

For now, he is singing for two to three films every week, which includes Drona and a few others for music director Pritam and Viju Shah. But all his attention, he says, is on albums currently. “I have a Bengali album, which will release next month. ‘Parkeeza’ is my solo album with a lot of North-Eastern elements in it. It’s completely done by me – the music, the videos and the production. I am also working on another album, which will be a tribute to S.D. Burman. I will take his folk songs and do them up in lounge style,” reels out Zubeen.

The man is hyperactive. As if playback singing and album don’t get enough out of him, filmmaking is another passion he nurtures. After his first Assamese film, Tumi Mur Mathu Mur which he wrote, directed and acted, he is working on his first Hindi film script.

“Actually I have five ideas in mind but I am scripting only one. It’s a dark movie but a political thriller. It’s going to be high budgeted and I would want Saif to do it but I need good money for that,” sums up the singer who is now seen in the reality music show on SaharaOne, Jjhoom India.

MANGALA RAMAMOORTHY

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