Zakir Hussain, renowned tabla maestro, has passed away at the age of 73. Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment industry, with figures like Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, AR Rahman, and many others honoring his legacy.

NEW DELHI:

Tabla legend Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 in a San Francisco hospital, following complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, his family confirmed on Monday. The news has led to an outpouring of tributes from celebrities across various industries. Amitabh Bachchan expressed his grief on his blog, describing Zakir Hussain as “a genius, an unmatched maestro, an immeasurable loss.” Kamal Haasan shared a nostalgic picture with the late musician, where he is seen playing the tabla, and wrote, “Zakir Bhai! He left too soon. Yet, we are grateful for the moments he gave us and the legacy he leaves through his art. Goodbye and thank you.”

Akshay Kumar also expressed his sorrow over the loss of the tabla maestro, writing, “Very pained to hear about the sad demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain Saab. He was truly a treasure for our country’s musical heritage. Om Shanti.” Kareena Kapoor posted a throwback photo featuring herself, her father Randhir Kapoor, and Zakir Hussain. In the image, Zakir Hussain and Randhir Kapoor are seen shaking hands. Kareena captioned the photo with “Maestro. Forever” along with red heart emojis. Ranveer Singh shared a joyful photo of the late musician and accompanied it with a series of emojis.

Filmmaker and actress Nandita Das paid a heartfelt tribute to Zakir Hussain, the legendary tabla maestro. Zakir Hussain had composed the background score for Nandita Das’ directorial Manto, which starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role. Sharing several pictures with the maestro, Nandita Das expressed her sorrow, writing, “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’ve 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, laughed, and had deep conversations. 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 the memory of that infectious laugh that lit up our world.”

National Award-winning actress Nithya Menen paid tribute to Zakir Hussain with heartfelt words: “One regret I will always have is that the day will never come where I see this extraordinary artist performing live. What a special soul, with such an unfiltered connection to the divine. A true artist who never took himself too seriously. His music was playful and light yet carried an undeniable intensity that made me forget to breathe. With a classical instrument, he could create comedy, make you laugh, and at the same time, leave you in awe of his immense talent. One of my two favorite people. Both are gone now.”

Zakir Hussain, widely regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation, is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, and their daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. Born on March 9, 1951, he was the son of the legendary tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha. A revered percussionist and one of India’s most celebrated classical musicians, Hussain received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.