Renowned bassist Mohini Dey has rubbished the rumours about her and composer A.R. Rahman’s relationship, days after the two announced separation from their respective spouses. Calling Rahman a father figure, she slammed social media trolls for spreading misinformation.
Rahman and his wife, Saira Banu, on November 20 announced their separation after 29 years of marriage. Hours later, Dey announced her divorce from saxophonist Mark Hartsuch.
In a video posted on social media on Monday, Mohini described Rahman as a “father figure” and emphasised their professional relationship. “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. A.R. happens to be one of them,” she said. “I respect him a lot. He is just like my father. He is actually 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.”
Reflecting on their professional history, Mohini added, “I worked with him in his band as his bassist for eight and a half years. Until five years ago, when I moved to the US and I associated myself with other pop artistes in the US. I have my own band as well and my own music that I tour with.” She concluded her video by requesting kindness: “It’s a personal matter, and it’s painful. So please be kind.”
In her video caption, Mohini expressed her disappointment at the media’s narrative, writing, “It is utterly unbelievable to see the amount of misinformation and baseless assumptions/claims against me & @arrahman... It saddens me to see people’s state of mind. @arrahman is a legend and he is just like a father to me.”
Rahman’s son, A.R. Ameen, also addressed the rumours, defending his father’s integrity. “My father is a legend, not just for his incredible contributions, but for the values, respect, and love he has earned over the years. It’s disheartening to see false and baseless rumours being spread. Let us all remember the importance of truth and respect when speaking about someone’s life and legacy,” Ameen posted on social media.
Rahman, on the other hand, has issued a legal notice to YouTubers and social media users for “highly imaginary and false stories” aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
