Fans across Assam turned cinema halls into memorials on Friday as Roi Roi Binale, the late singer Zubeen Garg’s final film, opened to packed houses and unprecedented demand.
At Guwahati’s Anuradha Cinema, the first seat of the first show was left vacant in Garg’s memory, while audiences chanted “Zubeenda Amar Haok!” before the screening. In Dhemaji, his portrait was placed inside the hall, adorned with flowers, as fans paid silent tribute before breaking into cheers.
Directed by Rajesh Bhuyan and co-produced by Garg, his wife Garima, and Shyamantak Gautam, the 146-minute film portrays Garg as a blind musician. The role has struck audiences as both a cinematic farewell and a reflection of his life. The trailer’s imagery of Garg lying on a beach has drawn parallels with his death in Singapore on September 19, when he reportedly drowned while swimming.
Exhibitors reported overwhelming demand, with some theatres screening the film up to seven times daily, beginning at 4:45 a.m. and running past midnight. Tickets across Assam have sold out for the week, while songs and the trailer have crossed one crore YouTube views.
Known for his outspoken views, Garg often described himself as a “social leftist.” In one scene, he declares: “I am an artist. And an artist should have only one politics to stand with the masses, not with the monarch.”
Distributed through UFO, Cube, and KSS, Roi Roi Binale is also being released in select Indian cities, marking a rare nationwide moment for Assamese cinema.
