Zakir Hussain: Film industry veterans mourn demise of legend

Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain's passing on 15 December leaves a huge void in India’s music community. With his excellence and humility, the Ustad touched many lives, young and old, people in positions of power and the common man.

Such is the impact of one of the greatest tabla players that his demise feels like a personal loss to many, with several members of the film fraternity like Kamal Haasan, Akshay Kumar, A.R. Rahman, Mohanlal, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Hansal Mehta, and others sharing their condolences online.

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar took to his social media and shared an image of Zakir Hussain. He wrote, "Very pained to know about the sad demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab. He was truly a treasure for our country's musical heritage. Om Shanti"

Veteran Tamil megastar Kamal Haasan took to X and shared an old image in which Zakir Hussain can be seen setting the taal (beat) for the actor as the latter played tabla. He wrote, “Zakir Bhai! He left too soon. Yet we are grateful for the times he gave us and what he left behind in the form of his art. Goodbye and Thank you”

Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A. R. Rahman called Zakir Hussain an inspiration and expressed his regret for not collaborating with him in recent years.

He wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return-Ed.). Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together. You shall be truly missed. May his family and his countless students worldwide find the strength to bear this immense loss”.

Veteran Malayalam superstar Mohanlal wrote on X, “Ustad Zakir Hussain’s passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of music. His rhythms united hearts across borders. My deepest condolences to his family and admirers”

Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who was recently seen along with Akshay Kumar in Singham Again, also paid tribute to the legendary musician with a heartfelt image that featured her alongside Zakir Hussain and her father, Randhir Kapoor. She wrote, “Maestro forever”.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who recently directed Kareena in The Buckingham Murders, also took to X and wrote, “The maestro who made so many sleepless nights at Hindustani classical concerts memorable. The man who knew how to engage with an audience through his artistry. The Ustad who made the tabla sexy. Goodbye Ustad Zakir Hussain.”

Veteran playback artiste Sonu Nigam expressed his shock at the demise of the late musician as he took to his Instagram and wrote, “Zakir bhai… What is this?”

Actress Nimrat Kaur recalled the last time she saw Ustad Zakir Hussain perform live earlier this year. She took to her Instagram, and shared a picture and a video of the late musician.

She wrote in the caption, “On Feb 28th, ’24, when I last watched Ustad Zakir Hussain live at Prithvi Theatre, I recall my heart beating to the beats of the sheer flawless genius of his talent. His international superstardom and the zenith of his achievements are forever here to inspire and energize us.”

“As a human being, to remain the most humble, gracious, and generous through his incomparable life journey is what remains etched as a life goal in my heart. Your kind eyes and mystical being shall outlive generations…rest in glory Ustad ji. Never shall there be another”, she added.