Ismail Darbar opens up about his second marriage, infidelity: 'She dresses me, ties my shoelaces'

Ismail Darbar discussed his second marriage and wife Ayesha's conversion to Islam, emphasising it was her choice.

Music director Ismail Darbar has opened up about his personal life, speaking candidly about his second marriage and wife Ayesha’s conversion to Islam. In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Ismail clarified that Ayesha, who was originally named Preeti, converted to Islam of her own free will, not under any pressure from him.

Music director Ismail Darbar reveals insights about his second marriage, Ayesha's voluntary conversion to Islam, and his sons' acceptance.

Ismail talks about his second marriage

Ismail revealed that when he met Ayesha, he was already separated from his first wife, Farzana, after years of marital discord. When asked if his sons held his decision against him, the composer praised them for their maturity. He added that his split from Farzana stemmed from incompatibility rather than conflict.

Denying allegations of infidelity, Ismail recalled the moment he proposed to Ayesha: “After an argument with Farzana, I called Ayesha and we went for a drive. After an hour, I stopped the car and asked her to marry me. She said yes. To be honest, I had started developing feelings for her. She admired my work and became attached to me after our long conversations.”

Ismail also credited Ayesha for sacrificing her promising career in the entertainment industry to support him and their family. “She dresses me even today, she ties my shoelaces. She left her glamour career behind for our children,” he said, adding that his sons, Awez and Zaid Darbar, affectionately call her ‘Ayesha mummy’ and deeply respect her for the way she has raised their half-brother, Imaan.

About Ismail Darbar

Ismail Darbar is an acclaimed Indian music composer and violinist best known for his powerful and emotional film scores. He gained widespread recognition for his work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s classics Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2002), which earned him multiple awards, including a National Film Award.

Apart from films, he has also judged several reality shows, such as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge in 2005 and 2007, Amul Star Voice of India 2, and Bharat Ki Shaan: Singing Star Season 2. He also judged the launch season of Suron Ka Eklavya. In addition to judging, Ismail also participated as a contestant on Bigg Boss Season 3.