Hatemongers starving for content, says AR Rahman on comments on divorce; sends legal notice

CHENNAI: Terming the comments and interviews posted on social media after he announced separation from his wife Saira Banu as cheap publicity attempts by ‘hatemongers’, Oscar and Grammy award-winning composer AR Rahman issued a legal notice seeking to remove the allegedly defamatory content within 24 hours.

The notice stated that several individuals and YouTubers were posting interviews and publishing content with concocted, imaginary stories about his personal life. These, it said, were defamatory in nature.

The people who published such content on the separation announcement were hatemongers who are content-starved, and thus published false stories about Rahman which were harmful to his family and his reputation, said the notice.

Rahman said there was not an iota of truth in any of the contents and demanded the removal of the allegedly abusive content from social media platforms or face legal action.

The notice, specifically addressed to individuals and entities operating on platforms such as YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and online news portals, said the content should be removed within 24 hours.

On November 19, Rahman announced his separation from his wife Saira after 29 years of marriage, which left the film industry and film lovers in shock. The estranged couple also released a joint statement explaining that emotional strain was the reason for their decision to separate.

Following that, several people took to social media and other digital platforms to publish content and videos on the news, most of which were allegedly in poor taste, derogatory, and defamatory.

Notice to all slanderers from ARR's Legal Team. pic.twitter.com/Nq3Eq6Su2x

— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) November 23, 2024