Legendary singer and music composer AR Rahman's wife Saira has announced their separation. Rahman and Saira married each other in Chennai on 12 March 1995. They are parents to three children - Khatija, Raheema and Ameen.
According to a report in India Today, Saira's lawyers shared an official statement on Tuesday (November 19).
"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. 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 read.
It further read, "Mrs. Saira emphasised that she has taken this decision out of pain and agony. She requests privacy and understanding from the public during this challenging time, as she navigates this difficult chapter in her life."
Rahman has not shared any official statement yet.
In July this year, Rahman and Saira were seen together at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding.
Rahman and Saira's relationship
The Oscar-winning musician had once opened up about his wedding in an interview. Revealing his first impression of Saira, Rahman had said, "She was beautiful and gentle. We met for the first time on January 6, 1995, on my 28th birthday. It was a brief meeting. After that we mostly chatted on the phone. Saira speaks Kutchi and English and I asked her in English if she wanted to marry me. Saira was very quiet in those days. Now she’s anything but quiet."
Opening up about his family's reaction to his marriage, Rahman had stated, "We are South Indians and Saira comes from a Gujarati background. She was brought up in the traditions and culture of North India. You know it’s always difficult for any family to adjust to anyone new coming into the fold. Like all mothers, my mother was possessive about me and as we all lived together as a joint family, a period of adjustment was necessary. In 1995, my eldest daughter Khatija was born and everything was fine after that."
