'Agnibaan' closes a chapter in Jatin Bora–Zubeen Garg’s shared screen journey
As ‘Agnibaan’ gears up for its Feb 6 release, Bora reflects on the emotional challenge of lip-syncing to Garg’s song for the last time
The team of 'Agnibaan' with Jatin Bora & Preety Kongkan in Jorhat. (AT Image)
Jorhat, Jan 29: As the Assamese film Agnibaan gears up for its official release on February 6, one of its most poignant moments has come into focus, actor Jatin Bora’s final on-screen lip-sync to a song by Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg.
During a promotional event held on Wednesday at Delhi Public School in Jorhat, the makers of Agnibaan unveiled the film’s trailer and its final song, rendered by Zubeen Garg.
The event that drew a large audience, turned emotional as Bora spoke candidly about the difficulty of performing the song.
“Zubeen Garg and I began our journey together with Hiya Diya Niya. From then on, his voice became an inseparable part of my on-screen identity,” Bora said.
The moment marks the end of a musical partnership that has been closely associated with Bora’s cinematic journey for decades.
“The song in Agnibaan is the last time audiences will see me lip-sync to Zubeen’s voice. While shooting this song, I went through a very difficult phase. I struggled to match the emotions, and many memories from the past came rushing back," he said.
Bora revealed that lip-syncing to the song was not merely a technical challenge but an emotional one.
“It was not easy to give expressions to the lyrics. I had a hard time holding myself together on set,” he said, adding that support from Garima Garg and the film’s team helped him complete the sequence.
“Zubeen once told me, ‘The end is not the end; something new begins from there.’ With that strength, we decided to present this song to the audience," he added.
Directed by Mrinmoy Saikia and produced by Shailen Kumar Sharma, Agnibaan features Bora and Preeti Konkan in lead roles.
While the film addresses contemporary issues of the Northeast, Garg song has already drawn attention for its emotional weight and symbolic significance.
The film also features senior actor Kulada Kumar Bhattacharjee in his final on-screen role, further adding to the emotional resonance of Agnibaan.
Actress Konkan, speaking at the event, described the film as a new-age project driven by a young team, and said the strength of its characters, particularly the female lead, sets it apart.
Written by Shailen Kumar Sharma, with Mayurakshi Sharma as co-producer, Agnibaan boasts a strong ensemble cast and music that is expected to leave a lasting impact.