Rahman's children request privacy after musician and wife announce separation
Mumbai (PTI): Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman and Saira Banu's three children have asked for privacy and respect after their parent's announced that they were separating after 29 years of marriage.
The couple, who got married in 1995, broke the news on Tuesday night in a joint statement, which was released by prominent divorce lawyer Vandana Shah.
Their three children -- daughters Khatija, Raheema, and son Ameen -- posted messages on Instagram Stories after the news broke at night.
Ameen wrote, "We kindly request everyone to respect our privacy during this time. Thank you for your understanding."
Khatija and Raheema both posted, "I would greatly appreciate it if this matter could be treated with the utmost privacy & respect. Thank you for your consideration."
Raheema also reposted his father's post on X and captioned it, "Keep us in your prayers."
In their statement, Rahman and Banu said they took the decision to separate after "significant emotional strain in their relationship".
"After many years of marriage, Saira and her husband A R. Rahman have made the difficult decision to separate from each other. 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," read the joint statement, issued to media by Shah.
They said the decision to separate comes out of "pain and agony", and requested "privacy and understanding from the public" as they navigate this "difficult chapter" in their life.
Banu was first to announce the separation in a statement, which was followed by a joint statement.
Rahman later posted on X, saying that he had hoped to complete 30 years of marriage with Banu but "all things, it seems, carry an unseen end".
"Even the throne of God might tremble at the weight of broken hearts. Yet, in this shattering, we seek meaning, though the pieces may not find their place again. To our friends, thank you for your kindness and for respecting our privacy as we walk through this fragile chapter," he said.
The couple's most recent appearance was at the grand wedding of Mukesh Ambani's son Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Mumbai in July this year.
Rahman's post on X came as a shock to his ardent fan base with many asking the music maestro to "stay strong".
"Even 29yrs not enough I guess to stay together," wrote one fan.
Another said, "Stay Strong Sir. Let us Respect their Privacy!!"
"Hope everything will be alright bhai," a user commented on Rahman's post.
"Stay strong RAHMAN sir we pray to give you peace of mind..." read a post.
A user said, "Hugs to you Sir. I have tears in my eyes and in my heart. Love you forever. I am so sorry to hear about this. It feels heart breaking. I pray for both of you to find peace and strength. Love you forever and forever."
Another fan said, "Stay strong sir. May Allah grant peace to both the hearts. You have always been an amazing son, husband and father. You will always be. We love you so much ARR sir. lots of love and respect to you. strong hugs."
There were also those who pleaded the couple to give their relationship another chance.
"Pls reconsider for sake of your children," one post read.
One fan wrote, "Stay strong sir. May time reunite you both again."
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In a first, Bengaluru woman loses Rs 2 lakh after pressing ‘1’ on fake IVR call: Report
Bengaluru: In what appears to be the first such cybercrime reported in Bengaluru, a 57-year-old woman reportedly lost Rs 2 lakh after following instructions and pressing a key during a fake IVR (Interactive Voice Response) call from a nationalised bank.
The woman, a resident of Dattatreyanagar in Hosakerehalli, received a call that appeared to be from the State Bank of India (SBI), a bank she holds an account with. The IVR message claimed that Rs 2 lakh was being transferred from her account and instructed her to press '1' if she did not authorize the transaction, as reported by the Times of India on Thursday.
"I was shocked on hearing the voice note as I had not done any such transaction. I didn't press any number. The voice note repeated, saying that I have not responded. I was confused. After three rounds of such announcements, I pressed 1 as I had not initiated the transaction. Soon after that, there was a second announcement stating, ‘Please visit your bank and contact the manager immediately.' Subsequently, the call got disconnected," she told the national daily.
Shortly after, the call disconnected, and she discovered a Rs 2 lakh loss in her account. She immediately contacted her bank and filed a complaint with the police.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer explained that fraudsters often use IVR calls to ask for personal details like the last four digits of a debit card, bank account number, date of birth, email ID, or other information needed to access online banking. "Once the victim shares the information, the money is siphoned off. Without sharing the credentials, it is not possible to siphon off money just by pressing the options 3 or 1 or 9," he told TOI.
The officer noted that the victim may have shared some information in response to the voice message, which could have allowed the fraudsters to access her account and steal the money. If she didn't provide any details, this type of scam would be new to them, and the investigation will provide more clarity.
A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and BNS section 318 (cheating).
