Legendary composer AR Rahman is considered one of the best composers India ever saw. Rahman who’s also been an Oscar winner enjoys immense popularity all over the world but ironically, that’s what took a toll on his personal life. In a recent interview, Rahman has spoken about his fan following and fame. For those not in the know, Rahman recently announced separation from his wife Saira Banu after 29 years of marriage. They have three children. Rahman shared that he rarely steps out, and on the occasions he does, he mentally prepares himself for an inevitable wave of selfie requests. Though he strives to respond kindly, he admitted that there are times, particularly after exhausting travel, when the constant attention becomes too much. Still, he takes it in stride, accepting it as “part of the game”. When the conversation shifted to something as simple as stepping out for dinner in Chennai, Rahman sighed, acknowledging the emotional burden such outings carry. “That’s the irony of my life,” he admitted during a chat with Nikhil Kamath on his podcast. “That’s what actually took a toll on my family life, when no one allows you to eat,” he said. He went on to describe how even at weddings, he ends up skipping meals because guests approach him nonstop for pictures.“Even in a marriage, when you are eating, people say, ‘Can I take a photograph?’ I say, ‘I am eating.’ They say, ‘But we are going to go. We have to go.’”Rahman pointed out that many fans forget that celebrities have the same human needs as everyone else. “They don’t understand that the person is eating. He’s not been bought by you. But then you understand how important you are in their life and they don’t want to miss the chance. So I never eat in marriages. I just go over, wish them.”He contrasted this with his experiences working abroad, noting that Western artists are far more direct about personal boundaries. “Whenever I have worked with rockstars abroad, they, just with a straight face, say, ‘I don’t do that, sorry.’ Whether it is a Hollywood actor, they are straight on the face… They just snap and say, ‘No I don’t do that.’ Indian actors are more kind. Because we are a different race.”Rahman also opened up about how maintaining family time has become increasingly challenging. “Even to spend time with family, I have to make sure that I pull them on to dinner or something, where also not everyone is free — they all have their own lives now.”When it comes to friendships outside the industry, he admitted that he barely has the bandwidth to nurture them. Instead, his professional collaborators often form his social circle.“All the directors are my friends. When I work with people like Aanand L Rai or Imtiaz Ali… I love what I am doing,” he said. Surrounded by young artists in his studio, Rahman often shares meals and moments with them, finding companionship within the world of creativity. Go to Source
