Biography

Zakir Hussain was born on March 9, 1951 in Bombay, State of Bombay, India [now Mumbai, Maharashtra, India]. He was a composer and actor, known for Apocalypse Now (1979), The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) and Monkey Man (2024). He was married to Antonia Minnecola. He died on December 15, 2024 in San Francisco, California, USA.

Father is Late Ustad (Maestro) Alla Rakha, famed tabla accompanist of sitarist Late Pandit Ravi Shankar throughout the peak of his career in the 1960s and 1970s.

Virtuoso percussionist whose name is synonymous with the tabla (a pair of tuned hand drums from India).

In 2024 he made history at the 66th Grammy Awards by becoming the first Indian musician to win three Grammy Awards in a single night.

Zakir Hussain played a character that was based on the legend Rahul Dev Burman in the movie Saaz starring Shabana and Aruna in lead roles. Zakir's body language, happy go lucky nature, genius composing abilities, being loved by fellow artists, unique styling - and even his shirts were based on Rahul Dev Burman.