Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain died at 73 at a hospital in San Francisco, following complications arising out of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, his family confirmed on Monday. Celebrities across generations and fields mourned the death of the legendary musician. Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog, “A genius .. an unmatched maestro ..an immeasurable loss ..Zakir Hussain .. has left us …” Kamal Hassan shared an old picture with Zakir Hussain in which the actor can be seen playing 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.”
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.#ZakirHussain pic.twitter.com/ln1cmID5LV— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 16, 2024
Akshay Kumar also mourned the maestro’s death. He wrote, “Very pained to know about the sad demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain Saab. He was truly a treasure for our country’s musical heritage. Om Shanti.”
Very pained to know about the sad demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain Saab. He was truly a treasure for our country’s musical heritage. Om Shanti ? pic.twitter.com/a5TWDMymfZ
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 16, 2024
Kareena Kapoor shared a throwback picture featuring herself, her father Randhir Kapoor and Zakir Hussain. In the picture, Zakir Hussain and Randhir Kapoor can be seen shaking hands. Kareena captioned the picture, “Maestro. Forever” and dropped red heart emojis. Take a look at the picture here:
Ranveer Singh shared a happy picture of the musician and dropped a string of emojis.
Filmmaker-actor Nandita Das paid a heartfelt tribute to the maestro. Zakir Hussain composed background score for Nandita Das’ directorial Manto featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role. Sharing a bunch of pictures with the legend, Nandita Das wrote, “Shocked and deeply saddened. An irreplaceable loss. The news feels unreal. It always will. Zakirbhai, you will be missed and how. You went too soon.” She continued, “I have been looking through photos from 2017-18, and memories of working with him on the background score of Manto came alive. One phone call and he said yes to the film. We worked in LA, on Zoom, in Mumbai. We argued, we laughed, we talked. I had the privilege of watching, observing and learning from him. I had some unfinished conversations that I was hoping to continue with him someday.”
Nandita Das added, “My heartfelt condolences to everyone who, like me, mourns his loss and will always celebrate him and his art. Ustad Zakir Hussain will live on forever through his unparalleled music and memory of that infectious laugh that lit up our world.” Take a look:
National Award winning actress Nithya Menen remembered Zakir Hussain with these words, “There is one regret I will have – that the day actually won’t come where I see this extraordinary artist performing live. What a special soul, with an unadulterated connection to the divine. A true artist. Who didn’t take himself so seriously. Such playfulness and lightness in his music and yet, an undeniable intensity that made me forget to breathe. With a classical instrument he somehow created comedy, made you laugh , and simultaneously marvel at his enormous talent. One of my two favourite people. Both gone now.”
Singers Abhijeet, composer Vishal Dadlani, three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej, AR Rahman also paid tributes to him. Ricky Kej wrote, “Shocked, deeply saddened and devastated by the passing-on of the legend Ustad Zakir Hussain @zakirhq9. One of the greatest musicians and personalities India has ever produced. Along with being the best himself, Zakirji was known for his immense humility, approachable nature, and for being responsible for the careers of numerous musicians, who are now forces to reckon with themselves. He was a treasure trove of skill and knowledge and always shared and encouraged the entire music community through collaborations and his actions. His legacy will live on forever, and his influence will be felt for generations. He left us too soon.” Take a look:
Vishal Dadlani’s words were, “There will never be another #UstadZakirHussain. My deepest condolences to his family, to all musicians and to music itself. (Got confirmation of the tragic news from Toufiq bhai himself before posting. I request everyone in the comments to be mindful of the emotional state of the family.)”
AR Rahman wrote on X, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. 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.”
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
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…— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) December 16, 2024
Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya wrote, “The Great Maestro #zakirhussain ..Gone Too Soon…I just met him at breakfast recently at Birmingham..Rest In Peace..Ustad ji..” Take a look:
Zakir Hussain, who is regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation, is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola and his daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. Born on March 9, 1951, he is the son of legendary tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha. The percussionist, one of India’s most celebrated classical musicians, received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.
