The film’s release has transformed into a historic cultural event, blending grief, nostalgia, and pride in equal measure.

The first screening began at 4:25 a.m. at Matrix Cinema Hall in Beltola, Guwahati — an unconventional hour befitting Garg’s unorthodox life. By dawn, long queues of fans had gathered outside theatres across Assam, carrying posters, wearing Assamese scarves, and holding candles and gamosas in silent tribute. Theatres echoed not just with applause but also with tears, as the state collectively revisited the magic of a man who shaped the sound of modern Assamese identity.

A Dream He Never Got to Watch

The title Roi Roi Binale — literally meaning “crying with pauses” — now feels prophetic. In the film, Zubeen plays a blind singer who dreams of touching the sea — a metaphor that has acquired haunting significance since his untimely death in Singapore on September 19, during a sea outing. He was 52.

“This story has lived in me for 19 years,” Garg had told author Rita Chowdhury in what became his final interview. “I finally found the courage to tell it.”
Those who knew him say he was still editing the film days before his death, determined to complete what he called his “most personal work.”

Historic Release Across 94 Theatres

Assamese cinema has never witnessed a phenomenon of this scale. The film opened in 94 theatres across Assam, featuring over 450 daily shows, with 13 theatres in Guwahati alone screening 157 shows a day. Towns like Tezpur (42 daily shows), Jorhat (21), Lakhimpur (20), and Tinsukia (16) are witnessing full houses from early morning to midnight.

Two cinema halls — Ganesh Talkies in Jagiroad and Gandhi Bhawan in Tihu — reopened after years of closure, exclusively for Roi Roi Binale. Videos of workers scrubbing old seats and decorating foyers with flowers and portraits of Zubeen went viral online. “He said once he’d reopen Ganesh Talkies himself. Maybe he just did,” a fan remarked outside the hall.

Reserved Seats for a Legend

In nearly every theatre, one seat has been symbolically reserved for Zubeen Garg — a silent reminder that the artist still occupies space among his people.
At Matrix Cinema Hall, a sofa draped in a traditional Assamese gamosa and adorned with Garg’s framed photograph was placed in the front row.
At Nakshatra Cinema in Dhekiajuli, a life-size cutout of the artist sat among fans, watching over the crowd like a king attending his own coronation.

Nationwide Release and Global Tributes

The film’s reach has extended far beyond Assam. Roi Roi Binale is being screened in major metros including Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune, as well as Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh. In Bengaluru alone, the movie has secured 10 premium screens, including PVR Vega City Mall, Lulu Mall, and INOX Megaplex at Mall of Asia — a first for any Assamese film.

In cities like Delhi and Mumbai, where large Assamese communities live and work, the screenings have turned into emotional congregations. Many audiences were seen carrying gamosas and lighting candles before the shows. “It felt like we met Zubeen once again today,” one viewer said after watching the film in Guwahati. “Every line carried his soul.”

Family’s Emotional Farewell

Just hours before the release, Zubeen’s sister Palmee Borthakur posted a deeply emotional tribute on Facebook, calling him a “Phoenix” — a soul that “rises from the ashes twice as powerful.”
“You were born a human being and reached divinity,” she wrote. “Tomorrow you will again rise from the ashes with your stronger and undefeatable flight!”

Earlier, Zubeen’s wife Garima Saikia Garg, who co-produced the film, had shared one of his final handwritten notes from September 15. “Every word you wrote that day pierced the heart, Goldie,” she said. “But one question keeps burning — what really happened on September 19? Until we get an answer, even breathing feels heavy.”

Despite her personal loss, Garima ensured the film was released on schedule — exactly as Zubeen had planned. “It was his dream, his promise. I had to keep it,” she told close associates.

Akhil Gogoi Demands Justice

Meanwhile, the film’s release has reignited the political debate surrounding Garg’s mysterious death. Raijor Dal chief and Sibsagar MLA Akhil Gogoi alleged that the state government’s probe lacked credibility, calling the ongoing investigation “a scripted drama.”

Gogoi questioned the CID team’s trip to Singapore, claiming that investigators failed to bring back concrete evidence or documents. He also expressed skepticism over Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) would file a chargesheet within a month.
“It seems the narrative is already pre-decided,” Gogoi said. “This chargesheet will not deliver justice; it will deliver convenience.”

His remarks have reignited public demand for a transparent and international-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death.

The Government’s Tribute

In a gesture of respect, the Assam government announced that its share of GST from Roi Roi Binale will be donated to the Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, established by Garg to support flood victims, students, and struggling artistes.
“It’s not charity — it’s gratitude,” said a senior cultural official. “Zubeen didn’t just sing for Assam; he was Assam.”

An Artist Beyond Time

From Anamika in 1992 to Mission China, Maya, and Ya Ali, Zubeen Garg’s voice became the heartbeat of Assam — a blend of rebellion and tenderness that transcended generations.
In life, he fought to revive Assamese cinema when many had declared it dead. In death, he has brought it roaring back to life.

As the final frame of Roi Roi Binale fades into black and Zubeen’s voice fills the theatre one last time, silence descends — the kind that carries both love and loss.
For Assam, this is not just a film. It is a resurrection on screen.
Zubeen Garg walked into the sea — and never really left.

Stay tuned with Pratidin Time for more updates on this developing case.