Zubeen Garg's Final Film 'Roi Roi Binale' Revives Assam's Single-Screen Cinema Culture

Across Assam, at least eight previously abandoned cinema halls have been restored and reopened.

Guwahati:

When 'Roi Roi Binale' premiered at 4:25 am in Guwahati on Friday, moviegoers formed extensive lines outside theaters. People gathered before sunrise to witness the final creative work of Zubeen Garg - the multitalented musician, actor and filmmaker whose posthumous film has remarkably revitalized Assam's forgotten single-screen theaters.

Years before, while performing in Jagiroad, Morigaon district, Zubeen had expressed sadness over the closure of the once-celebrated Ganesh Talkies. He promised to help resurrect Assam's dying single-screen cinemas that had fallen victim to multiplex competition. Many doubted this would ever happen. Yet remarkably, following his death, Zubeen's film 'Roi Roi Binale' has fulfilled this promise.

Throughout Assam, at least eight long-dormant theaters have been renovated, cleaned, and reopened for the film's release, including Ganesh Talkies itself, with its projector functioning for the first time since the COVID-19 lockdown.

A Statewide Phenomenon

From Guwahati to Dibrugarh, Jorhat to Tezpur, audiences flocked to theaters throughout the day. Every seat was sold out for the coming week, with cinema owners scheduling additional screenings.

Rajiv Bora, president of the Assam Cinema Hall Owners' Association, informed NDTV that 'Roi Roi Binale' is currently being shown in every cinema hall across the state - 85 in total. "No other film is being screened in Assam right now," he stated. "We anticipate full houses for at least a month. Eight or nine new screens have opened, and even one of our oldest halls in Jagi Road has been reopened for this film. We believe Roi Roi Binale will exceed ₹100 crore - an unprecedented figure for Assamese cinema."

The Film That Became A Farewell

At the center of this extraordinary phenomenon is the story of a man whose artistry transcended the boundaries between music, cinema, and social life in Assam.

'Roi Roi Binale' - which translates to "Tears Still Flow" - represents Zubeen's final film, a 146-minute musical drama directed by Rajesh Bhuyan. Zubeen not only starred in it but also composed all eleven songs and co-produced it alongside his wife Garima, and Shyamantak Gautam.

In the film, Zubeen portrays a blind musician struggling to reconcile his artistic vision with societal indifference. The trailer, released weeks before his death, shows him unconscious on a beach, hauntingly foreshadowing the circumstances of his passing.

On September 19, while attending the fourth North East India Festival in Singapore, the 52-year-old artist drowned while swimming in the sea. The tragedy devastated a state that had long regarded him as more than a celebrity - a cultural conscience and versatile artist who performed in over forty languages and composed works about love, rebellion, and belonging.

'Couldn't Accept He Was Gone'

The team behind 'Roi Roi Binale' completed the film following his death. Director Rajesh Bhuyan told NDTV, "This was Zubeen's dream. He left us at the final stage. It was tremendously difficult - both emotionally and artistically. We strived to maintain every detail exactly as he envisioned."

Poran Borkatoky, who created the background score, explained that this responsibility fell to him after Zubeen's passing. "He was supposed to compose the score himself," Borkatoky shared with NDTV. "When I assumed this task, I was overcome with emotion. Our entire generation learned music from Zubeen Garg. We've attempted to incorporate everything we learned from him into this film."

Scriptwriter Rahul Gautam Sharma described the project as "an embodiment of Zubeen's worldview." He explained, "This film reflects what he represented - his politics, his artistic philosophy, his opposition to extremism, and his belief in love as resistance."

Actor Achurjya Borpatra called it "a blessing" to have shared screen time with the legend. "I am fortunate to be included in Zubeen Da's final film. We are also his admirers. He remains a living legend for us, and having acted alongside him will stay with us forever," he remarked.

Editor Pratim Khaund added, "It's difficult to accept he is no longer with us. Zubeen Da's involvement in the film was immense. We hope audiences will appreciate the film as it contains many of his memories."

The Assam government announced that its entire share of Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue from 'Roi Roi Binale' would be donated to Zubeen's Kalaguru Artiste Foundation - a charitable organization he established to support underprivileged artists and students.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the gesture as a tribute to "Assam's eternal son."

The Final Goodbye

Thirty-seven days after his cremation, Zubeen's ashes were immersed in the Brahmaputra River. His wife, Garima, accompanied by family and close friends, sailed from Lachit Ghat into the river's broad current. As she lowered two clay pots into the water, she wept openly.

Later, she shared on social media: "Assam's land, sky, wind and now the vast Brahmaputra... You remain uniquely in the hearts of people and nature." "See you again one day soon... I'll talk about reincarnation, I'll write new stories for you and me. But now, we need to discover what truly happened to you on that cursed day. #JusticeForZubeenGarg,"

A portion of the ashes was also immersed in Jorhat, Zubeen's hometown, by Arun Garg, a family confidant and one of the four who lit his funeral pyre.

When Zubeen's body returned from Singapore, it was received with state honors. Over a million people gathered to pay respects at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex. Thousands followed the funeral procession to Kamarkuchi village, singing his songs as his pyre was lit.