Last updated:November 22, 2024, 07:42 IST

AR Rahman and Saira Banu tied the knot in 1995. They announced their separation earlier this year.

AR Rahman and Saira Banu are parents to three children, a son and two daughters. (Photo: Instagram)

When AR Rahman announced his separation from wife Saira Banu earlier this year, he shocked everyone. Banu’s lawyer, Vandana Shah, has revealed that the couple is unhappy with the divorce. In a recent interview, Shah mentioned that since Rahman and Banu were together for 29 years, it was not easy for them to part ways.

“It’s a long marriage and in long marriages and in divorce no one is happy to call it quits. I can only say that they are fine, but nobody is happy,” she told PTI.

“We’re looking at things amicably. We’re not looking at any bitterness. They’re both dignified individuals. We’re proposing to keep it,” the lawyer added.

Shah further mentioned that the couple’s joint statement announcing their separation had “a lot of grace and dignity” for each other. “For 29 years they’ve lived a very dignified life and they’re not changing it just because things might not work out as a fairytale ending that everyone might expect or that they might have expected. Nobody goes into a marriage expecting a divorce,” she shared.

AR Rahman and Saira Banu tied the knot in 1995. They have three children together – two daughters, Khatija and Rahima, and a son named Ameen Rahman. The couple confirmed their separation on Tuesday evening in a joint statement.

“After many years of marriage, Mrs Saira has taken the difficult decision to separate from her husband Mr AR Rahman. Despite their deep love for each other, the couple has found that the tensions and hardships have created an unbridgeable gulf between them, a gulf that neither party feels they can bridge right now. Mrs. Saira requests privacy and understanding from the public during this challenging time,” the statement said.

Later, AR Rahman also addressed the separation on X (formerly Twitter) and shared a poetic and heartfelt message: “We had hoped to reach the big thirty, but everything seems to have an unseen end. Even the throne of God can tremble for the weight of broken hearts. Still, in this split, we search for meaning, even though the pieces may not find their place again. To our friends, thank you for your kindness and for respecting our integrity as we go through this fragile chapters (sic).”