Grammy and Oscar-winning music composer, A. R. Rahman, and his wife, Saira Banu, are separating after 29 years of marriage.
The divorce was initiated by Ms Banu, who explained that the separation was a ‘difficult decision [made]… after years of emotional strain.’ Following this, Mr Rahman also shared a heartfelt message on X, confirming the separation.
Challenges Experienced by Bollywood Couples:
Ms Banu’s divorce lawyer, Vandana Shah, shed light on how factors including ‘boredom’ and ‘growing indifference,’ rather than ‘adultery,’ may be the primary motivators behind high-profile Bollywood divorces.
She raised that these issues are often unique to extremely wealthy families including those with ties to Bollywood, where relationships are burdened with greater expectations than those in other marriages, potentially culminating in breakdowns.
She also discussed how potential interference from outsiders may present further obstacles for couples in celebrity marriages, by complicating personal dynamics and making conflict resolution more difficult.
A Dignified End:
Despite the challenges the former couple faced, Ms Shah emphasized that the relationship ended ‘in a dignified manner… [with] both [parties]… continuing to support each other and wish[ing] each other well.’
She clarified that their marriage was genuine, and that their divorce decision was made after careful deliberation.
The former couple, along with their three children, have kindly requested for the public to respect their privacy during this challenging time and thanked everyone for their kindness and support.
Overview of the Indian Divorce Process:
In India, divorce proceedings typically take anywhere between 6 – 18 months, depending on the Court handling their case, and its current caseload.
For a ‘Mutual Divorce’ under the Hindu Marriage Act (No. 25) of 1955, the procedure generally follows these six chronological stages:
- Petition filing – A petition is created to outline the reasons for the divorce and ensure that the parties are in mutual agreement.
- Summons Service – The petition is jointly filed to the Family Court through each party’s divorce lawyer/s.
- Response – The Court issues an order to record the oath statement, after reviewing the petition and accompanying documents.
- Trial – Both parties are provided with a 6-month cooling period to allow for reconciliation.
- Interim Orders – If no reconciliation occurs, the parties appear for a final hearing (which must occur within 18 months of filing the petition).
- Final Orders – The Court issues the divorce decree, legally ending the marriage.
It must be noted that divorce procedures and laws in India may differ according to religion.
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