Music maestro AR Rahman has finally addressed the public scrutiny surrounding his separation from wife Saira Banu, nearly six months after he announced it. The couple, who had been married for almost 30 years, made headlines last year when Rahman confirmed their separation in a heartfelt social media post. Since then, both Rahman and Saira had chosen to remain silent—until now.

Speaking with Nayandeep Rakshit on his YouTube channel, Rahman reflected on the reaction to his personal life. “The choice of being in public life is intentional, so everybody gets reviewed—from the richest to even God, so who am I?” he said. “As long as we stay together and are not toxic, we’re still a family.”

On dealing with online trolling and insensitive comments, Rahman added, “It’s all about karma. If I say something about someone’s family, it’ll come back to mine. We Indians believe that. I often pray, ‘God, forgive them and guide them back to the right path.’”

Back in November 2024, Rahman had announced the separation via X, writing: “We had hoped to reach the grand thirty, but all things, it seems, carry an unseen end… Thank you for your kindness and for respecting our privacy as we walk through this fragile chapter.”

Shortly after, Saira’s lawyer had also released a statement, confirming her decision to separate due to emotional strain in the relationship. However, in March, Saira issued a 0clarification, revealing that they weren’t officially divorced yet. She cited her health issues as the reason behind their separation and requested the media not to label her as Rahman’s “ex-wife.”

“I didn’t want to stress him out,” she said, urging Rahman’s well-wishers to take care of his health after he was briefly hospitalised for chest pain. “All my good wishes are still with him,” she added.