On November 19 Tuesday, AR Rahman declared through an emotional social media post his separation from his wife, Saira Banu. Quite different from most fan support, the unique hashtag that accompanied the post evoked a lot of varied reactions. While some appreciated his openness, others took issue with the use of the hashtag by asking how it fit in such a sensitive context.

Lawyer Vandana Shah cleared the air regarding the hashtag in an interview with Bollywood Bubble. She was like, “Hashtags are nothing but features of modern communication and make a huge fuss of it. “In the grand scheme of things, a hashtag is just that—a hashtag. Like a comma or a semicolon in grammar, it doesn’t carry significant weight. Overthinking it is unnecessary,” she stated.

Rahman’s post, which marked the end of his 29-year marriage to Saira Banu, concluded with the hashtag “#arrsairaabreakup.” While the message conveyed emotional depth, the hashtag became the subject of online trolling. One user remarked, “2024 will be remembered as the year AR Rahman created a hashtag to announce his separation.”

Check the reactions below:

AR Rahman and Saira Banu were married in an arranged marriage in 1995 for those who don’t know their story. They managed, over almost three decades, to build themselves a very private life and raise three children-Ameen, Raheema, and Khatija. Rahman had previously revealed that he met Saira on his 28th birthday. The couple cited “emotional strain” as a reason for their split, but they promised to maintain mutual respect.

While reactions to the hashtag continue to circulate online, many fans have chosen to focus on the couple’s legacy and wish them peace during this transition.