Vishal Dadlani, Shreya Ghoshal to Pay Tribute to Late Zubeen Garg on Indian Idol 16

Popular musicians Vishal Dadlani and Shreya Ghoshal will pay a heartfelt tribute to late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in an upcoming episode of Indian Idol 16. The tribute will feature on the new season of the singing reality show, set to premiere on October 18 on Sony Entertainment Television.

In a video shared by the channel on Instagram, Vishal and Shreya are seen interacting with an inspiring contestant from Assam. As the contestant introduced himself, Vishal remarked, “Amazing. One of the most musical places,” acknowledging Assam’s rich musical heritage.

Remembering Zubeen Garg, Vishal said, “He is one of the biggest stars jo India mein kabhi paida huye (one of the biggest stars India has ever produced). As an Assamese, Zubeen ko kho dena isn’t a small thing. But Zubeen was one of the greatest of all time.” Shreya Ghoshal echoed his sentiments and joined the contestant in singing Zubeen’s beloved Assamese song Mayabini. The segment also featured Vishal and Shreya performing Jaane Kya, one of Zubeen’s popular Bollywood tracks from the 2006 film Pyaar Ke Side Effects. The clip ended with Vishal saying emotionally, “Zubeen forever.”

Zubeen Garg tragically passed away on September 19 in a scuba diving accident in Singapore, just a day before he was scheduled to perform at the Northeast India Festival. His body was flown to Delhi and later to Guwahati on September 21. His sudden death shocked fans across the country and left a huge void in the Indian music industry.

Currently, a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) is looking into the circumstances surrounding his death. So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the case, including Zubeen's cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg, event organiser Shyamku Mahanta, Zubeen’s manager Siddhant Sharma, his bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, and co-singer Amritprava Mahanta.

Indian Idol 16 will follow the theme Yaadon Ki Playlist this season. Alongside Vishal Dadlani and Shreya Ghoshal, rapper Badshah will join the judging panel. The show will air every Saturday and Sunday at 8 PM on Sony Entertainment Television and will also stream on SonyLIV.