AR Rahman, spouse Saira announce decision to divorce

Saira, AR Rahman's wife, announced her decision to divorce her husband on Tuesday.

Following the announcement that Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman and his wife Saira Banu had decided to divorce after 29 years of marriage, Rahman, along with their son and daughters, responded to the news by expressing their sorrow.

The couple claimed that their decision came after years of emotional strain in their relationship in a joint statement released late Tuesday night through Saira's attorney, Vandana Shah.

"After many years of marriage, Mrs Saira has made the difficult decision to separate from her husband Mr AR Rahman. This decision comes after significant emotional strain in their relationship," the statement read.

It also mentioned that "despite their deep love for each other, the couple has found that the tensions and difficulties have created an insurmountable gap between them, one that neither party feels able to bridge at this time."

"Mrs Saira emphasised that she has taken this decision out of pain and agony. Mrs Saira requests privacy and understanding from the public during this challenging time, as she navigates this difficult chapter in her life," the statement added, TNIE reported.

In a post on X, Rahman said, "We had hoped to reach the grand thirty, but all things, it seems, carry an unseen end. Even the throne of God might tremble at the weight of broken hearts. Yet, in this shattering, we seek meaning, though the pieces may not find their place again."

"To our friends, thank you for your kindness and for respecting our privacy as we walk through this fragile chapter," he added.

Raheema, Ameen, and Khatija are the three children of AR Rahman and Saira, who were married in 1995. In his most recent Instagram story, Ameen asked people to respect the privacy of his family. Regarding his professional life, Rahman most recently worked on Dhanush's second film, Raayan. Gandhi Talks, Chhaava, and Thug Life are some of his next projects.

Singer-composer Khatija Rahman, their daughter, posted a statement on her Instagram stories after the announcement, asking for privacy. “We kindly request everyone to respect our privacy during this time. Thank you for your understanding. I would greatly appreciate it if this matter could be treated with the utmost privacy and respect. Thank you for your consideration.” She, meanwhile, also quote-tweeted her father’s post on X (formerly Twitter), Indian Express reported.

Raheema, the couple's second daughter, posted her father's tweet on her Instagram stories with the caption, "Keep us in your prayers 🤲." She also shared a post from a meme website that emphasised how extremely personal this issue is and how Rahman and Saira are more than capable of making their own decisions. Similar remarks were made by Khatija and Raheema's brother, playback singer AR Ameen, who asked that people respect the family's privacy during this time.

“After many years of marriage, Mrs Saira and her husband Mr AR Rahman have made the difficult decision to separate from each other. This decision comes after significant emotional strain in their relationship. Despite their deep love for each other, the couple has found that the tensions and difficulties have created an insurmountable gap between them, one that neither party feels able to bridge at this time,” the statement Vandana Shah and Associates issued on behalf and instruction of Rahman and Saira read.

“Mrs Saira and her husband Mr AR Rahman emphasise that they have taken this decision out of pain and agony. Mrs Saira and her husband Mr AR Rahman request privacy and understanding from the public during this challenging time, as they navigate this difficult chapter in their life,” the statement added.

In 1995, AR Rahman wed Saira Banu, who was the sister of Meherunnisa, the wife of Malayalam actor Rashin Rahman. Khatija, Raheema, and Ameen, the couple's three children, have all continued their father's musical career.