Zakir Hussain passes away: Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor and more celebs mourn demise of legendary tabla maestro
Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and many other Bollywood stars mourned the demise of legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain.
Trigger Warning: This article mentions death.
On Monday, December 16, 2024, the world lost renowned tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain. The 73-year-old acclaimed artist was being treated for serious heart-related ailments when he passed away in San Francisco. Following the news, several Bollywood celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Hansal Mehta, Zoya Akhtar, and others, took to social media to mourn the loss of the legendary musician.
As soon as the news of Zakir Hussain’s death spread, Akshay Kumar shared an image of the maestro on his social media. 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."
Kareena Kapoor Khan also paid tribute to the legendary musician with a heartfelt image that featured her alongside Zakir Hussain and her father, Randhir Kapoor.
Director Hansal Mehta shared his final goodbye to the tabla maestro on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The maestro who made so many sleepless nights at Hindustani classical concerts memorable. The man who knew how to engage with an audience through his artistry. The Ustad who made the tabla sexy. Goodbye Ustad Zakir Hussain.”
Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar also shared her sorrow on Instagram, posting a monochrome image of Zakir Hussain with the caption, “Ustaad (red heart emoji) #therewillneverbeanotheryou #thankyouforthemusic #zakirhussain #maestro #nationaltreasure #RIP @zakirhq9.”
Actress Nimrat Kaur fondly recalled the last time she saw Ustad Zakir Hussain perform live at Prithvi Theatre earlier this year. She shared, “On Feb 28th, ’24, when I last watched Ustad Zakir Hussain live at Prithvi Theatre, I recall my heart beating to the beats of the sheer flawless genius of his talent. His international superstardom and the zenith of his achievements are forever here to inspire and energize us.”
She added, “As a human being, to remain the most humble, gracious, and generous through his incomparable life journey is what remains etched as a life goal in my heart. Your kind eyes and mystical being shall outlive generations…rest in glory Ustad ji. Never shall there be another.”
The 73-year-old musician had been experiencing blood pressure issues. As a result, his family admitted him to a reputed hospital for treatment of serious health ailments. Tragically, despite the efforts of the medical team and the prayers of his millions of fans, the artist passed away.
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