'Stop tarnishing his name': Saira Banu defends AR Rahman

'Stop tarnishing his name': Saira Banu defends AR Rahman
24 Nov 2024

Saira Banu, who recently announced her separation from her husband-music composer AR Rahman, has defended him in a voice note.

She revealed that she has been "physically unwell for the last couple of months" and so she "wanted to take a break from AR."

In the audio clip, she asked people not to "tarnish" his name and called Rahman "a gem of a person, the best man in the world."

She added, " I trust him with my life."

Banu spoke about her health issues
Health concerns

In the voice note, Banu clarified her health issues were the main reason for leaving Chennai.

She said, "Yes, it's just because of my health issues I had to leave Chennai because I knew if I'm not in Chennai, you people will wonder where Saira is."

"And I've come here to Bombay. I'm going ahead with my treatment, and this wouldn't have been possible with AR's busy schedule in Chennai."

Banu requested privacy amid ongoing treatment
Privacy plea

Banu further added, "He's an amazing human being. And all I would request is please just let him be."

"That's how much I love him, and that's how much he does. So I request you to stop all the false allegations against him."

"I'll be coming back to Chennai soon, but I have to complete my treatment. I request you to kindly stop tarnishing his name, which is absolutely rubbish."

She added that they haven't "announced officially anything yet."

Rahman and Banu's separation after nearly 3 decades
Separation announcement

Rahman and Banu announced their separation after almost three decades of marriage.

The news was shared via a joint statement released by Banu's lawyer, Vandana Shah.

The singer-musician also shared the news on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, saying while they had hoped to reach their "grand 30," life had other plans.

Rahman and Banu got married in 1995 and have three children—daughters Khatija, Raheema, and son Ameen.