Composer AR Rahman and his wife Saira Banu announced their separation after nearly three decades of marriage on Tuesday evening. In a surprising turn of events, bassist Mohini Dey, who performs with AR Rahman’s band, also revealed her separation from her husband, composer Mark Hartsuch. Mohini and Mark shared the news through a joint post on Instagram. They wrote, “Dear friends, family, fans, and followers, With a heavy heart, Mark and I announce that we have separated. First, as a commitment to our friends and family, this is a mutual understanding between us. While we remain great friends, we both have decided that we want different things in life and separation through mutual agreement was the best way to proceed.”
Mohini Dey and Mark Hartsuch added, “We will still be working on several projects together including MaMoGi and Mohini Dey groups. We have always prided ourselves on working well together and that will not be stopping any time soon 🙂 The big thing we want to wish is love to everyone out there in the world. We appreciate your support in all of the ways you have given it to us. Please honor the decision we have made by being positive towards us at this time and respecting our privacy. We would appreciate no judgements.”
Mohini Dey has performed with AR Rahman in over 40 shows worldwide and released her self-titled debut album in August 2023.
In addition to collaborating with AR Rahman, Mohini Dey has performed with other legendary artists such as Zakir Hussain, Ranjit Barot, Steve Vai and Guthrie Govan. Regarded as one of the most accomplished Indian bass players internationally, Mohini’s journey in music has been a lifelong passion. She began her training at a young age, mentored by her father, the late Sujoy Dey, who played an important role in shaping her musical career.