MUMBAI: Popular bass guitarist Mohini Dey has shut down rumours linking her with music maestro AR Rahman, following her recent separation from her ex-husband, Mark Hartsuch.
The rumours gained traction after she announced her split from Hartsuch, also a musician, hours after Rahman shared a statement about parting ways with Saira Banu, his wife of 29 years.
Dey, who has worked extensively with Rahman over the years, addressed the speculation through an Instagram video where she described Rahman as a “father figure” and urged the media to respect her privacy during this difficult time.
“I have a lot of father figures, role models in my life, and I’ve been really fortunate and grateful to have had them play vital roles in my upbringing. AR happens to be one of them. By AR, I mean AR Rahman. I respect him a lot. He is just like my father,” she said in the video.
“He is a little bit younger than my dad. His daughter is exactly my age, I think. We have a lot of respect and love for each other. Anyway, long story short. Please be kind and respect our privacy. It’s a personal matter, and it’s painful. It’s a painful process. So please be kind,” Dey added.
Apart from the video, Dey also shared a lengthy note where she expressed her disappointment with the media’s portrayal of the situation.
“It is utterly unbelievable to see the amount of misinformation and baseless assumptions/claims against me & @arrahman. It feels criminal that the media has vulgarised the two events. I honour my times as a kid working with @arrahman throughout my 8.5 years of working with him for his movies, tours, etc. It’s disheartening to see that people have no respect, sympathy or empathy towards emotional matters like this,” read a part of her note.
The news of Rahman and Saira’s separation was initially shared through a joint statement issued by Saira’s lawyer, Vandana. The couple stated that their decision was due to “significant emotional strain” in their relationship.
“On behalf and instruction of Mrs. Saira and her husband renowned musician Allahrakka Rahman (A.R. Rahman), Vandana Shah and Associates issue the following statement regarding the couple’s decision to part ways,” a part of the statement read.
The composer too shared the news on his X account on Wednesday, where he stated that while they had hoped to reach their “grand thirty,” life had other plans.
“We had hoped to reach the grand thirty, 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,” read his post on X.
AR Rahman and Saira married in 1995 and share three children–Khatija, Raheema, and Ameen. (ANI)