"But where are you really from?" An episode investigating South Asian identity and belonging. Do you feel like you belong? And where do you feel like you belong the most? Belonging often gives us a sense of fitting in or feeling like we are part of something bigger, that we really fit in one place more than any other. I’ve often struggled with that sense of belonging – and in this podcast episode I talk about fitting in – or rather not fitting in. I talk about sitting on a little beach by the...

"Why does resting make me feel guilty?" - Rest feels radical for women, particularly South Asian women. Because we're brought up to work, to serve, to always say yes. We've seen our mothers and grandmothers exhaust themselves endlessly looking after everyone else. And so we normalise being tired, overworked and overwhelmed. On this episode of Masala Podcast Unfiltered, I talk about going on holiday to Corfu to rest and recover but being unable to fully relax - because my mind kept reminding...

"Where are your kids?" - South Asian women are expected to be mothers, they're told that is the very purpose of being a woman. In fact, society expects all women in all cultures to be mothers. On this episode of Masala Podcast Unfiltered, I talk about a very personal episode in my life where a stranger stopped me on the street, demanding to know where my kids were. It started me thinking about how society expects all women to want kids, to have kids. In this episode, I get very vulnerable,...

Never Have I Ever & Fargo star Richa Moorjani is talking with me, Sangeeta Pillai, host of Masala Podcast! I'm thrilled to share my conversation with the exceptionally talented Richa Moorjani. We talk about challenging beauty standards, about the importance of representation, about our dual identities as South Asian women living in the West – and so much more. American actress Richa Moorjani hails from a South Asian family deeply rooted in music, her life filled with melodies and rhythms...

In this extra-special final episode, Masala Podcast creator Sangeeta Pillai becomes the guest. She is interviewed by Hollywood actor & producer Melanie Chandra about the importance of South Asian feminism. Sangeeta talks about her own personal and painful experiences growing up in the Mumbai slums with an alcoholic, abusive father. She talks about seeing her mother and other South Asian women being treated badly, which inspired her to become a feminist activist. Sanegeta also talks about...

Mira Jacob is a novelist, memoirist, illustrator and cultural critic. Her graphic memoir, 'Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations,' was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award, longlisted for the Pen Open Book Award, nominated for three Eisner awards, and named a New York Times notable book, as well as a Best Book of the Year by Time, Esquire, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal. Mira's writing and drawings have appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Electric Literature,...

Aparna Nancherla is an LA-based comedian, actor and writer who performs all over the US and worldwide. Her TV stand-up appearances include Netflix's 'The Standups,' HBO's 'Two Dope Queens,' and Comedy Central's 'The Half Hour.' Aparna was also a series regular on Comedy Central's 'Corporate,' and appeared many times on HBO's 'Crashing.' She's also made late-night appearances on 'The Late Late Show with James Corden' and 'Late Night with Stephen Colbert.' Aparna's book of personal essays...

At just 18, Avantika is already a force as a well-known Hollywood actor and producer. She was the first ever Indian American lead in the Disney Channel Original Movies 'Spin'. She was named in Variety’s Young Hollywood 'Up Next' list in 2021. Avantika plays a lead role in the Sony Screen Gems feature 'Horoscope'. Avantika also starred opposite Rebel Wilson in a #1 movie on Netflix, Senior Year. She is also starring as 'Karen' in the Paramount feature 'Mean Girls Musical', for executive...

Tanya Gupta was a NASA aerospace engineer, a childhood dream for so many of us and Tanya made it happen. She worked on a prototype aircraft, which now sits at the Smithsonian, and she also owns a software patent with Kennedy Space Centre. Born in the UK, she and her family moved to the US and spent some time in India too, all of which informs her work. These days, Tanya calls herself a New York based art director, multimedia artist and content creator. In 2021, Tanya became the first Indian...

Michelle is the founder of Ranavat, a skin and hair care brand, based on age-old Ayurvedic traditions. Leveraging her expertise in the pharmaceutical industry and her background in engineering, Michelle honors her South Asian heritage to create a line of beautiful skin and hair treatments. Founded in 2017, Ranavat became the first Ayurvedic skincare brand to launch at the iconic retailer Sephora. And is now even available at Harrods. The brand proudly donates 1% of proceeds to Desai...

Melanie Chandra is an award-winning actress and producer passionate about bringing more empathy to this world through her work. She uses her platforms both on-screen and behind the camera to share powerful and diverse stories about women and minorities. I loved chatting with Melanie Chandra, we discovered our common Kerala heritage and explored our journeys towards our cultural identities. Melanie Chandra is best known for her role on the CBS drama Code Black. I also loved Mel in the...

Tanya Ravichandran is just 21 years old and incredibly wise. She is the South Asian creator, director and photographer making waves in the fashion and beauty industries. Tanya was photographing campaigns for well-known brands by the age of 15. She has amassed over one and a half million followers across TikTok and Instagram. Some of Tanya's recent partnerships include Fendi, Gucci, Dior, Alexander McQueen, Farfetch and many more. She has also been featured in Vogue India, Harper's Bazaar, and...

Reshma Saujani is a leading activist and the founder of Girls Who Code as well as founder and CEO of Moms First (formerly Marshall Plan for Moms. Reshma began her career as an attorney and Democratic organizer. In 2010, she surged onto the political scene as the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. Reshma has spent more than a decade building movements to fight for women and girls’ economic empowerment, working to close the gender gap in the tech sector. Most recently, she...

Editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue Versha Sharma talks about the power of brown women in fashion and elsewhere. She focuses on covering social justice, culture, fashion and politics through the lens of young people. She also talks about the surge of incredible South Asian Americans creatives in the US. Varsha was named South Asian woman of the year in 2022 by the Howard South Asian Women's collective. Previously, she was managing editor and senior correspondent at Now This. Varsha has produced...

Raveena Aurora is a massive music star & the first woman of Indian descent to play at Coachella. And she’s on Masala Podcast! A gorgeous mix of music, spirituality & sensuality, Raveena talks about the barriers of being a brown woman in the music business. Her genre-bending style mixes soul, jazz, Bollywood & R&B effortlessly. Raveena speaks about her music, the barriers she as a brown woman has to face and overcome in the music industry. And what it was like being the first...

Season 5 of the multi-award-winning Masala Podcast is a USA Special. Our first episode features the trailblazing sex educator, sexual health expert and advocate Dr. Varuna Srinivasan. Listen for a thought-provoking journey as we dive into the heart of sexual orientation, identity, and LGBTQ+ rights with Varuna. Varuna's story is incredible, and their empathy for others navigating their own journey through their sexual orientation & identity is astonishing. Varuna identifies as a queer,...

  “What do you get when you put four of the baddest betis (daughters!) on a stage to discuss what it means to break the mould as a South Asian woman? A whole lot of love, laughter & inspiration!” Season Four of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast ends with a brilliant season finale recorded live at the Women’s Podcast Festival. This special show featured three amazing guests. Shazia Mirza, the award-winning British stand-up comedian and writer. Salma El-Wardany, author, poet, TED speaker...

  “How are we expected to present ourselves as women from South Asian culture? Together, we discuss our experiences as South Asian womxn living all over Europe and what it means to be South Asian feminists today.” The fiercely feminist Masala Podcast goes international! This very special live episode was recorded in Cologne, Germany. Sangeeta Pillai chats with three amazing guests: Prasanna Oommen, Laxmi Manuela & Anu Ambasna as part of the INDERNET festival. We talk about Being...

  “Who’s a strong South Asian woman? Meet Poorna Bell who talks about getting into powerlifting and how that helped her see her body and herself differently.” We’re talking about strong women on this episode of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast. Sangeeta Pillai chats with Poorna Bell, an award-winning journalist & author who is also a powerlifter. Poorna won her first powerlifting competition aged 40. Poorna and Sangeeta talk about the concept of womxn being physically strong. Masala...

  “Disabled people are often forgotten. We all need to highlight the need for support and to make the world a more inclusive place for those living with disabilities.” Shani Dhanda, the award-winning disability rights activist is on this episode of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast. Its creator Sangeeta Pillai chats with Shani Dhanda, one of the UK’s most influential disability activists, helping organisations integrate inclusion into their business frameworks. Masala Podcast, winner of...

“Grief. Sometimes we just can’t find the words for the intensity of our emotions. Talking about grief can be difficult in any language. And for those of us whose language of birth is different to our adopted language, this can be even harder.” Grief is the theme on this episode of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast. Sangeeta Pillai chats with Mona Arshia: a poet, novelist and essayist. Mona is a regular on the radio & her work has been published in several prestigious publications....

  “We’re never too old to do whatever we want to do. We don’t have to fit into a box because our upbringing or culture says so. Meet the Aunty Skater who took up skating in her 40s.” This episode of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast features a sari-wearing skater who’s a TikTok sensation. Sangeeta Pillai chats with Oorbee Roy who’s also known as Aunty Skater. Having started skating at 43, Oorbee Aunty Skates shows us that we’re never too old to do whatever we want to do. Masala Podcast,...

“What do you get when you put four of the baddest betis (daughters!) on a stage to discuss what it means to break the mould as a South Asian woman? A whole lot of love, laughter & inspiration!” Season Four of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast ends with a brilliant season finale recorded live at the Women’s Podcast Festival. This special show featured three amazing guests. Shazia Mirza, the award-winning British stand-up comedian and writer. Salma El-Wardany, author, poet, TED speaker...