AR Rahman On Public Scrutiny Post Announcing Separation With Wife Saira Banu: 'Even The God Gets Reviewed, So Who Am I?'

Nearly six months after AR Rahman publicly announced his separation from his wife Saira Banu, the music composer has finally addressed the ongoing chatter and criticism surrounding their decision.

Addressing the online trolling and negative comments, Rahman offered a graceful and philosophical perspective.

Source : PTI

Nearly six months after AR Rahman publicly announced his separation from his wife Saira Banu, the celebrated music composer has finally addressed the ongoing chatter and criticism surrounding their personal decision. The news of their split, shared in November last year, had stunned fans and sparked widespread discussion online. However, Rahman and Saira chose not to engage with the speculation—until now.

AR Rahman on his separation from wide

In a recent interview with journalist Nayandeep Rakshit on his YouTube channel, Rahman reflected on the scrutiny that comes with being a public figure and how he chooses to deal with it. “The choice of being in public life is intentional so everybody gets reviewed. Right from the richest person to even the God gets reviewed, so who am I? As long as we stay together and we are not conceited or we are not toxic even the people who… because they all are family,” he said, calmly acknowledging the opinions that followed his announcement.

On trolling

Addressing the online trolling and negative comments, Rahman offered a graceful and philosophical perspective. “The thing is karma, if I say things about someone’s family, someone is going to say things about my family. And, we all Indians believe this and nobody is going to say unnecessary stuff because everybody has a sister, wife, and a mother. And even if I feel like somebody says that (about his family), I often pray, ‘please God forgive him and get them into the right thing,’” he added. 

AR Rahman announced separation

On November 20, 2023, Rahman had shared the news of their separation via a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “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.”

Saira Banu, through her lawyer Vandana Shah, had also released a statement at the time, confirming the separation was the result of emotional strain in their marriage. “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,” it read.

Saira said they are not officially divorced

However, months later, following reports of Rahman’s health issues and hospitalisation in March, Saira spoke out once again to clarify that they were not officially divorced. In a statement, she said, “I also wanted to tell everyone that we are not officially divorced, we are still husband and wife. It’s just that we are separated because of my health issues. Since the last two years, I haven’t been doing well, and I didn’t want to stress him out. But please, I would request the media to not call me ‘ex-wife’ as we are only separated, but all my good wishes are still with him. I also want to tell everyone, especially his family that do not give him any kind of stress and to take care of him.”

Rahman’s measured response and spiritual outlook have once again reminded fans why he continues to be revered not only as a musical genius but also as a dignified public figure who chooses empathy and introspection over conflict.