AR Rahman and his wife Saira Banu have decided to part ways after 29 years of marriage as Saira announces separation from Ustad. As this news stuns the industry, it takes us back to the moment when the musician defended his wife from the comments made by actress Kasturi.
In 2023, actress Kasturi Shankar, who is currently facing criticism for her comments against the Telugu community, trolled Saira Banu for not being fluent in Tamil. The actress shared a short clip from the 2023 Vikatan Awards asking AR Rahman why he is not fluent in Tamil, what is his mother tongue and what language does he use inside the house.
Watch Kasturi’s comment on AR Rahman and Saira Banu here:
Many users on X (formerly Twitter) criticized the actress for raising personal questions against the musician and his wife. AR Rahman came to the play and made the actress reply “Kadalukku Mariyadhai” in Tamil, which translates to “Respect for love”.
See AR Rahman’s tweet here:
A year after the incident, AR Rahman and his wife Saira Banu are set to face divorce after 29 years of marriage. In a report by The Indian Express, Banu’s lawyer Vandana Shah issued a statement announcing the couple’s separation.
The statement issued by the lawyer read, “After many years of marriage, Mrs. Saira has taken the difficult decision to separate from her husband Mr. AR Rahman. This decision comes after significant emotional stress in their relationship. The statement also clarified that both parties still have a lot of love for each other but there is tension in their relationship.
“The difficulties have created a huge gulf between them, which neither party feels capable of bridging at this time,” the statement added.
AR Rahman and his soon-to-be ex-wife are also the parents of three children, including daughters, Khatija and Rahima, and a son, AR Amin.
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