Who Is Mohini Dey? AR Rahman's Bassist Dropped Separation News Hours After Music Maestro's Divorce Announcement

Hours after music legend AR Rahman announced separation from wife Saira Banu, his bassist Mohini Dey too shared a divorce update from her saxophonist husband Mark Hartsuch on Instagram. As the news broke, fans were left shocked and heartbroken. Let's find out who is Mohini Dey and what's her career trajectory:

This 28-year-old bassist hails from Kolkata but was born and brought up in Mumbai. She is part of Gaan Bangla's Wind of Change and Coke Studio India. She was mentored by jazz exponent Louis Banks and also performed for music maestro AR Rahman in many shows. 

The bassist is quite an avid social media user with 524k followers on Instagram alone. She keeps sharing her performance-related pictures and updates on the page to keep fans updated. Before dropping the divorce news online, she had shared a long post on 'judgements' and how people troll for what you wear or look. A part of her video caption read: "I feel like Judgements are like FARTS, they come and go and I dont really care too much about them You do You. As women, the right to wear what we want is a fundamental expression of our freedom, individuality, and autonomy 

It’s not just about clothing; it’s about reclaiming our voice in a world that has historically tried to control how we present ourselves, tying our value to outdated notions of morality, modesty, or tradition."

The Indian bass player announced her divorce news hours after AR Rahman and wife Saira Banu, leaving fans shocked. She was married to saxophonist Mark Hartsuch. They played together in the band MaMoGi, along with drummer Gino Banks. The couple took to Instagram and shared a joint note that read: "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."

Adding further, "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."

It was Mohini's father who noticed her talent in music before she even turned 3 and encouraged her to pursue it. She began performing at the age of 11 and received her first bass guitar when she was nine or ten. Dey released her self-titled debut album in August 2023. She has given several electrifying performances on-stage.

She collaborated with international names such as Steve Vai, Marco Minnemann, Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater, Jason Richardson, Dewa Budjana, Zakir Hussain, Sivamani, AR Rahman and Willow Smith. In 2024, she was invited to join Smith's new band - a career-high which is a dream for many. She and her husband have posted several pictures and videos with Willow Smith.

AR Rahman and wife Saira Banu ended their 29 years of marriage, leaving their fans heartbroken. The couple married in 1995 and are parents to three children. Taking to Twitter, Rahman wrote, “We had hoped to reach the grand thirty, but all things, it seems, carry an unseen end. Even the throne of God might tremble at the weight of broken hearts. Yet, in this shattering, we seek meaning, though the pieces may not find their place again. To our friends, thank you for your kindness and for respecting our privacy as we walk through this fragile chapter.”