Guwahati: Assamese cinema witnessed an unprecedented spectacle Friday as queues began forming outside theatres across the state at 3 am for the release of cultural icon Zubeen Garg's last film, Roi Roi Binale. By 4:25 am, halls were packed for the pre-dawn shows of what has become a musical catharsis for millions seeking closure since the artiste's death just over a month ago.

Many arrived carrying flowers to shower on Zubeen the moment he appeared on screen as a blind singer in what he had proudly promoted as "Assam's first-ever musical". Emotions soared as his personal favourite and biggest hit, Mayabini, reverberated through theatres before the opening credits rolled. Some cried; others screamed his name.

Rajesh Bhuyan, who co-directed the film with Zubeen, said Roi Roi Binale had turned into something far greater than cinema. "This is the first time in Assam's history that a film is being screened before sunrise. And why not? Zubeen's final act doesn't just entertain - it heals," he said.

The title track, already topping charts, is a recreation of the song from Zubeen's 1998 album Sobdo. "Through the film and its music, we wanted to evoke hope after pain," Bhuyan added.

Zubeen's wife Garima, sister Palme Borthakur and other family members watched the film in a Guwahati theatre in the evening, leaving a seat symbolically vacant between Garima and Palme.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said he would watch the film later to avoid crowding theatres. "We'll request Jonaki Hall in Guwahati to organize a special screening," he said. The BJP-led cabinet has decided to hand over the state's GST share from Roi Roi Binale to the Kalaguru Artiste Foundation, set up by Zubeen for the welfare of the underprivileged. "There's no provision for tax exemption, so the GST collected will be transferred to his foundation," Sarma added.

With tickets for all shows over the next week sold out, Roi Roi Binale is on course to shatter Assamese box-office records. Most theatres are screening up to seven shows a day. Fans outside Assam await its release in select cities.

Zubeen died in Singapore on September 19, plunging Assam into collective mourning.

Guwahati: The probe into Zubeen Garg’s death has taken a dramatic turn, with fresh allegations of poisoning now at the centre of an intensifying criminal inquiry.

In the past 12 hours, the case has escalated sharply with three major developments — now public SIT’s arrest memo for manager Siddharth Sharma citing a co-accused’s claim that Zubeen was poisoned, the one-man judicial commission led by Gauhati HC Justice Soumitra Saikia launching its independent probe, and Zubeen’s wife, Garima, returning the autopsy report to investigators, stating it was not her personal document and should be handled at their discretion.

The SIT’s arrest memo for Zubeen’s manager, Siddharth, revealed explosive grounds for arrest — citing allegations from a band member and co-accused that Zubeen was poisoned in Singapore, where he died on Sept 19.

The SIT claimed that co-accused and key witness, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, has made explosive allegations against Siddharth and Shyamkanu, the organiser of the event where Zubeen had gone to participate.

The arrest memo cites that Shekhar, who was Zubeen’s band member, has alleged before it that “Shri Sharma and Shri Shyamkanu Mahanta had poisoned the victim and deliberately chosen a foreign venue to conceal their conspiracy. Shri Sharma also instructed him not to share the yacht videos with anyone.”

Saying that Shekhar has made the poisoning claim before the SIT, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The viscera report from the National Forensic Laboratory is expected by Oct 10, and only then we will know the truth.”

According to Shekhar’s statement, recorded by the CID under Sec 175 of BNSS, Siddharth forcibly took control of the yacht from its sailor during the Singapore event, causing it to wobble dangerously in mid-sea, thereby endangering all passengers onboard. He alleged that Siddharth instructed Tanmoy Phukan, an NRI and member of the Assam Association Singapore, not to arrange drinks, insisting that he alone would provide them.

During the critical moments when Zubeen was gasping for breath in the sea, Shekhar alleged that Siddharth was heard shouting “jabo de, jabo de” (let him go, let him go). Shekhar said Zubeen was an expert swimmer, who had personally trained both him and Siddharth, and therefore could not have drowned under normal circumstances.

Shekhar alleged that when Zubeen began frothing at the mouth and nose, Siddharth had dismissed it as acid reflux, assuring others that there was nothing to worry. Instead of seeking medical help, Siddharth allegedly facilitated early demise of the singer by delaying intervention.

Legal experts caution that a co-accused’s statement, unless corroborated, holds no evidentiary value during trial. Senior advocate Angshuman Bora of the Gauhati HC said, “If the statement is recorded as a confession, it must first implicate the person making it. Only then can it extend to implicating others. A confession is an admission of guilt — it must be inculpatory in nature. In this case, the statement appears to be exculpatory, as it does not implicate the accused himself. An exculpatory statement cannot be treated as a confession, because a confession must be inculpatory implicating himself in the commission of offense.”

Guwahati: Actor Shah Rukh Khan called up Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at 2am on Sunday, expressing his concern over the protests in Guwahati against the release of his film ‘Pathaan’ reports Kangkan Kalita.

On Friday, Bajrang Dal activists stormed a cinema hall in the city on Friday and tore down and burnt posters of the film.

In a tweet on Sunday, Himanta said, “Bollywood actor Shri @iamsrk called me and we talked today morning at 2 am. He expressed concern about an incident in Guwahati during screening of his film. I a ssured him that it’s duty of state govt to maint ain law & order. We’ll enquire and ensure n o such untoward incidents,” Sarma tweeted.

Quizzed about the incident by media persons on Saturday, Sarma had said he was not aware about what ‘Pathaan’ is and no Shah Rukh Khan called him seeking help in the matter. “Shah Rukh Khan would have called me if there was any problem but he has not,”

Sarma had said, adding, “Action will be taken if law and order has been violated and a case has been registered. ” Even as the Bajrang Dal has threatened that it will not allow the release of ‘Pathaan’, hall owners are getting ready to run house-full shows.

Singer-music composer Zubeen Garg was airlifted to Guwahati, Assam, on Wednesday evening, hours after he was admitted to a private hospital in Dibrugarh town after he sustained a minor head injury.

Multiple reports state that the doctors conducted a CT scan and Garg has received several stitches on his head. He is said to be safe right now, with his vital parameters being stable.

Earlier, on learning of Garg’s hospitalization, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had directed the deputy commissioner of Dibrugarh district to ensure that Garg, who was undergoing treatment at Sanjeevani Hospital in Dibrugarh, receives quality medical attention. Sarma had even directed to arrange for the artiste to be taken to Guwahati or outside the state for further treatment by air ambulance, if necessary.

The chief minister had also directed state health minister Keshab Mahanta to oversee the entire process of providing necessary medical services to the musician.

Garg reportedly fell down in the washroom of the resort he was staying in at Dibrugarh and was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The musician has composed songs for Assamese, Bengali as well as Hindi films. He made his singing debut in 1992 with Anamika. His discography includes songs such as Ya Ali from the 2006 Hindi film, Gangster, and Dil Tu Hi Bataa from Hrithik Roshan-starrer Krrish 3 (2013), among others.