Siddhartha Sharma, the long-time manager of the late Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, finally spoke out on Friday to clear up confusion about the singer’s financial legacy and his vast collection of 38,000 recorded songs.
In an open letter, Sharma explained that most of Zubeen Garg’s hits actually belong to various production houses and music companies, not the singer himself. Zubeen received just one-time recording fees for them, even for his biggest blockbusters.
“Almost all of Zubeen da’s songs, even the biggest ones, were recorded before I came into his life,” Sharma wrote. “He often shared how he felt shortchanged—producers and labels made crores, while he got modest payments. You can check this directly with those companies.”
To set the record straight, Sharma noted that Zubeen took action in 2021 by starting Zubeen Garg Music LLP, his only business venture. This company released about 20 songs with a total investment of around Rs 10 lakh, including Rs 6 lakh from Zubeen himself. So far, it has earned just a few thousand rupees each month, and all the money stays in the company account—no withdrawals yet. Zubeen owned 60% of the firm, and Sharma promised to make sure his family inherits that share.
On royalties, Sharma clarified that payments from the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) for Zubeen’s work as a composer and lyricist always went straight to the singer’s personal account. Now, those will legally go to his wife, Garima Garg.
Sharma also pushed back hard against rumors that he exploited Zubeen’s trust or finances. “These claims are baseless and really hurtful,” he said. “I’ve fully cooperated with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into his death, and I’ll keep doing so.”
He called on Zubeen Garg’s fans and the public to stay calm and avoid spreading misinformation. “This is a request from one person to another: Let the investigation move forward without fear or bias. We owe it to Zubeen da’s memory to seek the truth with respect,” Sharma concluded.
This statement comes as questions swirl about Zubeen Garg’s assets after his sudden death in Singapore last week.
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