At a Chennai function, legendary composer and performer Rahman urged his wife, Saira Banu, to use Tamil instead of Hindi. The video sparked a social media uproar.
Rahman has spent almost 30 years in Bollywood and the South. His mother organised his 1995 marriage to Saira. Read on.
A publication reported that a Twitter video showed AR Rahman receiving a Vikatan Cinema award. The singer calls his wife, Saira Banu, to the stage to speak and receive the award. Rahman's wife tears up as she embraces him after receiving the prize from the famous musician. The singer interrupts Rahman's wife in Tamil, “Please speak in Tamil, not Hindi.” A visibly uncomfortable Saira then tells the audience, “Sorry, I can’t speak fluently in Tamil. So, please excuse me. I am super happy and excited because his voice is my favourite. I fell in love with his voice. That’s all I can say.”
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Another shared, “A very sensible lady! She speaks the language which she is most comfortable in! I would, too. Perhaps we all should!” The next one tweeted, “I don’t have a problem with Tamil. It's as close to my heart as all other Indian languages but why not Hindi and why any foreign language? Are we still in the communal Era?”
One user shared, “Scary goat
Another said, “AR Rahman should be aware of his iconic stature and not play identity politics over language religion and caste. Why can’t his wife speak in whatever language she wants.”
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And, one concluded, “Yes, English is acceptable as it is language of colonial masters. But another of our own Indian language Hindi bring feeling of lowly disgust ? This guy should be ashamed. Garnered all the fame & money from Indian Bollywood films and today discriminating over our languages.