AR Rahman married Saira in 1995.

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman and his wife Saira, after almost thirty years of marriage, today jointly announced through their lawyer that they have “taken the difficult decision to part ways”.

“After many years of marriage, Ms. Saira and her husband, Mr. AR Rahman, have taken the difficult decision to divorce each other,” said a statement from Vandana Shah and Associates, their lawyer.

The decision, the lawyer said, “comes after significant emotional strain in their relationship.”

“Despite their deep love for each other, the couple has discovered that the tensions and difficulties have created an insurmountable chasm between them, a chasm that neither party believes they can bridge at this time,” the statement said, underscoring that the “ decision comes true.” of pain and agony”.

“Ms. Saira and her husband, Mr. AR Rahman, request privacy and understanding from the public during this challenging time as they navigate this difficult chapter of their lives,” the statement added.

The music composer lamented that the couple couldn’t reach the “big thirty”, but Hope hoped there was meaning in “this shattering”.

‘We had hoped to reach the big thirty, but it seems all things have an invisible end. Even the throne of God might tremble under the weight of broken hearts. Yet we seek meaning in this shattering, even though the pieces can no longer find their place. To our friends, thank you for your kindness and for respecting our privacy as we walk through this fragile chapter,” Rahman wrote on X.

‘We had hoped to reach the big thirty, but it seems all things have an invisible end. Even the throne of God might tremble under the weight of broken hearts. Yet in this shattering we search for meaning, even though the pieces may not find their place again. To our friends: thank you for…

— ARRahman (@arrahman) November 19, 2024

The couple married in 1995 and have three children: Khatija, Raheema and Ameen.

In his Instagram Stories, their son Ameen wrote: “We kindly request everyone to respect our privacy during this time. Thank you for your understanding.”

AR Rahman, who won the Oscar for his work on Slumdog Millionaire, was once called “the Mozart of Madras” by Time magazine.

The musician, who started making music at the age of five, got his first break with the 1992 film Roja. It was a hit and Rahman’s soundtrack led to him winning the national award for best composer.

“Why did you choose an arranged marriage?” Simi Garewal asked the top composer in 2012 in her popular chat show ‘Rendezvous with Simi Garewal’.

“To be honest, I didn’t have time to look for a bride,” said a smiling Rahman, eliciting a chuckle from the host.

“I was doing all those films – Rangeela, Bombay and all those things. I was so busy with that, but I knew it was the right time to get married. I was 29. And I told my mother. I said : find me a bride,” said Rahman

“Do you have any specifications?” asked Mrs. Garewal

‘I want a simple woman. Which won’t cause me much trouble. So I can continue with my music,” Rahman replied.

Mrs Garewal then reminded Rahman that he had asked his mother to find her a bride with “some education, some beauty and a whole lot of humility”.

Rahman smiled and nodded in agreement.

When asked how they met, Rahman also revealed that his mother found Saira’s sister near a Sufi shrine and one thing led to another and soon they were married.