Masala Podcast: The South Asian feminist podcast (Soul Sutras)

Tantra and Kamasutra secrets - plus Three Interactive Sensual Meditations

SPICY LIVE EPISODE WITH TANTRA & KAMASUTRA EXPERTS, RECORDED AT LONDON PODCAST FESTIVAL

Explore the power of pleasure and learn how to tap into own your own body’s innate sensuality.

Hint: it’s not about sex positions.

Learn Tantra and Kamasutra secrets - plus Three Interactive Meditations to activate your sensuality! All, in one super spicy Masala Podcast episode recorded in front of a live audience at the London Podcast Festival 2023.

Meet my two amazing pleasure warrior guests: Tantra Sexuality Shaman Amba Kahly and Kamasutra Expert Seema Anand. They will teach you ancient Indian pleasure secrets & how to use your sacred sexuality to enrich every area of life.

On this podcast, you'll learn Three Sensual Meditation techniques:

1) The Jingling Girdle mediation 2) The Sensual Chocolate meditation 3) The Full Body Tantra meditation.

You’ll learn how to unlock your body’s natural pleasure channels. Top tip: keep a square of chocolate handy for this interactive meditation session. No, it's just about Tantric Sex or about about Kamasutra positions. Or just about having sex. Explore the power of pleasure and learn how to tap into own your own body’s innate sensuality. Hint: it’s not about Kamasutra positions.

Ready? Get set to feel all tingly & amp up your pleasure in this live and interactive episode of Masala Podcast.

"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 me of my to-do lists.

I know I'm not alone. Many feminists and South Asian women in particular feel this guilt and inability to really relax. So many women find resting so difficult, because patriarchy and capitalism have us stuck on an endless productivity treadmill.

This feminist podcast is here to tell you that resting is a feminist act. Resting is about preventing burnout. Resting is about self love.

Are you exhausted by the endless to-do lists in your own life? Are you knackered but unable to really, deeply rest? If so, you'll love listening to this feminist podcast episode.

MASALA PODCAST UNFILTERED

This is the second episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from South Asian women, feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

More about Masala Podcast:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/

"Can I be a feminist and ask a man to get rid of mice?" An fun, light hearted episode asking questions about feminism. And mice infestations.

Are you a strong feminist? Are you proud of what you've achieved? I know that I am. I own my own house, I pay my own bills, I buy my own jewellery. But when a mouse crept into my bedroom - I suddenly wanted a man to come get rid of it.

In this episode, I talk about being a strong feminist and yet screeching like a little girl when I mouse dared to come into my bedroom. I talk about wanting a man to come sort out the mouse for me. I ask the question: can you be a strong feminist and still ask for help?

This is the latest episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

More about Masala Podcast:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/

"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 Thames in London - and wondering about where was home?

It started me thinking about where we, as immigrants, feels at home.

In this episode, I share how I never quite fit in - whether in India where I spent most of my life or in the UK where I've now spent close to two decades.

This is the latest episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

More about Masala Podcast:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/

"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, very personal. Because I want us all to talk about the stigma surrounding women like me, who choose to not have kids. Let's also think about women who may not be able to have kids.

Are you tired of the constant pressure on women to be mothers? Do you believe that every woman's choice should be celebrated? If so, you'll love listening to this episode.

MASALA PODCAST UNFILTERED

This is the first episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

More about Masala Podcast:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/

Mentioned in this episode:

Girls Will Be Girls Movie

Click link: https://www.modernfilms.com/girlswillbegirls A fab film about mothers and daughters - and the ups and downs of navigating teenage sexuality as a young woman in a boarding school in North India. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

“The First Live LGBTQ Marriage Proposal, the sense of sisterhood, the love….”

This very special episode of Masala Podcast Live recorded at Kings Place London on Sat 11th Sept as part of the London Podcast Festival. Our Bad Betis took over Kings Place, we had a wonderful live audience. The sense of sisterhood and support across the room was electrifying.

We had four incredible guests. Raga D’Silva, LGBTQ activist. Farah Kabir, co-founder of female focussed sexual wellness brand HANX. Dr. Rageshri Dhairyawan, HIV and Sexual Health activist. As well as Dr. Tina Mistry, clinical psychologist specialising in South Asian mental health.

We had the first ever LGBTQ South Asian marriage proposal live on a podcast where guest Raga D’Silva proposed to their long-time partner Nicola Fenton. It was just so moving. We shed tears, we danced a little to some Indian Shaadi (wedding) music. We were witness to the most beautiful moment of love. Not just among the couple but also the huge love from the Masala Podcast community who turned up to support the podcast.

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"For me, coming out at 50 was all about being true to myself..."

In this episode, Raga & Sangeeta talk about what it means for South Asian womxn to own their sexuality, in a culture that often represses our sexuality. We also talk about how being true to yourself is all important, and why it’s such a struggle for most womxn.

Raga grew up in a traditional Indian family, and came out as queer at age 50 after decades of living the life of a married Indian woman, wife & mother. Raga’s journey of owning her truth is a truly inspiring one.

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“The menopause is still taboo in our culture & we talk through the various stages of the menopause, how it affects our bodies & minds and what we can do about it.”

The fiercely feminist Masala Podcast continues as Sangeeta Pillai chats with Dr. Nighat Arif, a GP specialising in women’s health and the menopause & a regular on our TV screens. The Menopause is even harder for South Asianwomen, as it’s such a taboo. In this episode, we explore menopause symptoms and how the menopause affects our bodies & minds. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Dr Nighat Arif Masala Podcast

“The Kamasutra was the first text to talk about independent female pleasure…”

Meet Seema Anand, a mythologist and storyteller, specialising in women’s narratives with a focus on the erotic literatures of Ancient India.

According to her, this book is the first text to talk about the Kamasutra as a platform of equality for women, to acknowledge their right to pleasure and to articulate their right to consent.

I loved chatting with Seema about the Kamasutra, a text from the third century CE, which is still relevant to the discussion around female sexuality in South Asian culture. We also talked about other South Asian mythologies and stories, many of which have women’s narratives at the heart of them.

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“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 (European) Bad Betis (Daughters) living all over Europe and being South Asian feminists. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Masala Podcast: Live in Germany

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 & BBC presenter. And Seema Anand, a Mythologist & Storyteller, who’s an expert on the ancient erotic literatures of India. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Masala Podcast: Live in London

This theme of this episode of Masala Podcast is ‘Queer and South Asian’.

I speak to three incredible people who identify as queer and South Asian. My guests are open and authentic in discussing their early lives and how they discovered their sexuality. We talk about how heteronormative and patriarchal ideologies in South Asian culture make it almost impossible for some womnx to consider an alternative. We also discuss how our culture affects our sexuality. And the fact that while we might have rejected our culture early in our lives, we’ve found our own way of picking and choosing the bits that we like from our culture.

I also talk about my own experiences, growing up in a traditional Indian family, discovering and learning to love my own body, and my sexuality. Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.

My guests on this episode: Famida Islam Queer Bengali & Muslim activisit. Co-host of London’s first queer Bengali night @odbhutqueerbangle Insta: @mercury_dun

Aroob Sajjad A storyteller gravitating towards raw, authentic expression through performance, photography and penmanship. Insta: @aroob95  Website: https://aroobsajjad.com/

Komal Amin Actor from London. Insta: @komalamee Website: www.komalamin.com  

Producer: Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker + Composer Executive Producer at Amazon Audible www.hanawalkerbrown.com  

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusic  

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gFG3oX

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Website: soulsutras.co.uk  

Mentioned in this episode:

Girls Will Be Girls Movie

Click link: https://www.modernfilms.com/girlswillbegirls A fab film about mothers and daughters - and the ups and downs of navigating teenage sexuality as a young woman in a boarding school in North India. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Masala Podcast Episode 3 - SOUTH ASIAN IDENTITY

On this episode I speak to the multi-award-winning novelist, Preti Taneja. Preti was born and grew up in the UK and following a career in human rights reporting, now teaches writing in prison and in universities.

Her novel WE THAT ARE YOUNG (Galley Beggar Press) won the 2018 Desmond Elliot Prize for the best debut of the year. It has been described as a 'masterpiece' and an 'instant classic' by critics in India, America and the UK, and was also shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize and the Books are my Bag Readers Choice Awards, and longlisted for the FOLIO Prize, the Jhalak Prize and for Europe’s most prestigious award for a work of world literature, the Prix Jan Michalski. It has been translated into seven languages to date and will soon be a major international TV series from the makers of Narcos, Gaumont. Preti & I talk about identity, about “fitting in”.

We talk about not having a ‘double identity’ but rather a ‘dual reality’. Which makes life far more interesting for those of us who belong to two different cultures. We talk about how shame is used as a weapon by patriarchy to keep us ‘in our place’ Preti also talks about the state legislating over the body and sexual morality – and so many other interesting things.

I talk about what my identity is, having moved to the UK from India about 15 years ago. Which parts of me are Indian and which are British? And does it even matter?

Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

MORE ABOUT PRETI TANEJA:

Website: http://www.preti-taneja.co.uk/

Twitter: @PretiTaneja

Link to buy the novel WE THAT ARE YOUNG: https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/paperback-shop/we-that-are-young  

MASALA PODCAST PRODUCER:

Hana Walker-Brown, Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker + Composer Executive Producer at Amazon Audible www.hanawalkerbrown.com

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusic

The theme of this episode of Masala Podcast is Periods.

On this episode I speak to Manjit K. Gill, CEO & Founder of the period charity Binti. Her mission is to create a huge, social impact whilst generating a sustainable organisation. As a British Indian, providing basic menstrual rights for women in India has become her obsessive, compulsive dedication to making a change.

Binti is a registered charity, with a mission to provide menstrual dignity to all girls, all over the world. This means facilitating access to pads to ensure menstrual hygiene, educating girls about what menstruation is and what they can expect from it, and dispelling stigma, taboos, myths and negative perceptions around menstruation.

Binti is headquartered in the UK, and currently runs projects in India, Kenya, Swaziland and the U.S., as well as at home in the UK. Manjit& I talk about the stigma attached to periods in South Asian culture. Not just in South Asian countries but here in the UK where some families don’t let girls go to the temple or attend weddings when they’re on their period.

I talk about the first time I got my period, and my traumatic memories around that time.

Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.  

More about Binti:

Website: https://bintiperiod.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/binti_period

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/binti.period/  

Producer: Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker + Composer Executive Producer at Amazon Audible www.hanawalkerbrown.com

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusics  

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

This is a live recording of the Masala Podcast Launch Event on 8th Oct, at Rich Mix, London.

The official launch of Masala Podcast was such a powerful experience. The audience responses were incredible, the support was overwhelming.

The evening was a panel discussion with my guests from Season 1. We discussed the themes of the podcast: identity, race, sexual identity, mental health, the body and periods & answered questions from the audience.

Panelists included:

• Asifa Lahore – Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen, TV star & LGBT activist

• Jane Chelliah – activist & star of Channel 4’s Mums Make Porn

• Rittika Dasgupta – representative from Cysters, a charity for South Asian female reproductive health

• Bolly Ditz Dolly – South Asian Burlesque performer from House of Burlesque

• Tina Mistry – Psychologist specialising in South Asian mental health issues

• Famida Islam – Queer Bengali & Muslim activisit

A warm heart-felt thank you to my incredible panelists for being passionate, honest, open & awesome. Here are their Insta handles, if you’d like to follow them: @ambitiousmamas @asifalahore @thebrownpsychologist @mercury_dun @rittikadg @bollyditz.dolly

And thank you to all the amazing audience members, who turned up and supported us so whole-heartedly.

When South Asian womxn come together, when they really hear each other, when they share their stories, their pain...this magic happens. And we all felt that magic at this launch event for Masala Podcast.

The Spotify award-winning Masala Podcast talks about taboos in South Asian culture: sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health & more.

Producer: Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker www.hanawalkerbrown.com

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusic

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

On this episode of Masala Podcast, we explore what it means to be transgender, South Asian & Muslim.

My guest is Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen. Asifa is a well-known drag performer and TV star. She’s constantly pushing the boundaries of what it means to be LGBT, South Asian and Muslim. Asifa featured in Channel 4’s groundbreaking documentary Muslim Drag Queens in 2015. She has also been the face of Channel 4's 2016 diversity campaign, 'True Colour TV'.

On the podcast, we talk about Asifa’s journey of first coming out to her traditional Muslim parents as gay and then later coming out as trans and transitioning into being a woman. She talks about balancing her life within the LGBT community as well as being a Muslim. We also discuss the traditional Hijra community, one of the oldest transgender communities in the world and their place in modern India.

Asifa's journey into the spotlight has been a deeply personal one through which she discovered her transgender identity and continues being a voice for intersectional Britain.

MORE ABOUT ASIFA LAHORE:

Insta: @asifalahore

Twitter: @AsifaLahore

YouTube: http://bit.ly/2X4zzMY

Contact: https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/asifa-lahore

The Spotify award-winning Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian womxn, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, sexual identity, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

Producer: Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker www.hanawalkerbrown.com

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusic  

On this episode of Masala Podcast, I chat with Seeta Patel, a renowned classical Bharatanatyam dancer.

We explore how traditional Indian dancing and the female body relate to each other. We discuss the origins of the Bharatanatyam dance, which can be traced back to the Devadasis and temple and court traditions. We talk about classical dance and its place in Indian society today.

My guest Seeta Patel, winner of innumerable awards and bursaries, has been a judge, mentor and advisor for the first ever BBC Young Dancer Competition. In 2017, Seeta received the Washington S&R Award for her work championing Bharatanatyam in the diaspora, presented her solo classical performance with live music at Sadler’s Wells as part of the prestigious Darbar Festival in November 2017.

This has been an exciting year for Seeta with creating larger ensemble works, including the iconic Rite of Spring, being part of the British Council Showcase in Edinburgh with ‘ Not Today’s Yesterday’ and being nominated for ‘Best Stage Production’ at The Asian Media Awards.

MORE ABOUT SEETA PATEL:

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/seetadances/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/seetadances

Website: https://www.seetapatel.co.uk/

The Spotify award-winning Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian womxn, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.

Producer: Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker www.hanawalkerbrown.com  

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusic  

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

A SPECIAL BOOK CLUB EPISODE WITH SASS

In this special episode of Masala Podcast, I’m discussing the book ‘Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows' by Balli Kaur Jaswal with Shirin Shah who’s the Co-founder of SASS - South Asian Sisters Speak (SASS) as well as Mahek Mehta and Maryam Siddiqui who’ve been part of previous SASS book clubs.

Described as ‘warm and hilariously funny’ – this gem of a book takes on a big taboo: sexuality among older South Asian women.

We read some (saucy) extracts from the book, we discuss lots of important themes like the ‘de-sexualisation’ of older South Asian women. We talk about our perceptions of what is acceptable in South Asian culture vs. Western culture. We explore what physical displays of affections (or the lack of them) mean for us growing up as women in our culture.

This is a really special episode for me, because we connected, we chatted about some important themes and we had such a laugh.

ABOUT MASALA PODCAST The Spotify award-winning Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.  

SOUTH ASIAN SISTERS SPEAK (SASS)

Contact Shirin Shat of SASS: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/weare_sass/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/weare_sass Website: https://southasiansistersspeak.wordpress.com/

Contact Mahek Mehta Insta: @mahek_ Twitter: @mahekstweets

Contact Maryam Siddiqui Insta: @quiyam9 Twitter: @msid93  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

https://www.ballijaswal.com/

Link to buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M70UBQ6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1  

Masala Podcast Producer: Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker www.hanawalkerbrown.com

Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusics  

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk Follow me on

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

In this final episode for Series 1 of Masala Podcast, the theme is Mental Health especially among South Asian women.

I chat with Tina Mistry, clinical psychologist and director of TherapySense. She specialises in issues around race, culture and identity and works with South Asian communities. Tina has a specialist interest in working with trauma (including PTSD, developmental and intergenerational trauma).

We talk about issues affecting South Asian girls and women, particularly struggles with their dual identities. We discuss how we are taught to never show rage or anger and how that affects us as women in the culture. We debate whether current mental health methods are “Euro-centric”.

I also talk about my own struggles with mental health over the past few years, specifically the anxiety and panic attacks that I’ve experienced.

This is a really important episode for me, because this is personally relevant to me. And also, mental health issues affect so many of us.

ABOUT MASALA PODCAST

The Spotify award-winning Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos.

ABOUT TINA MISTRY

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thebrownpsychologist/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brownpsych

Website: https://therapysense.co.uk/meet-the-psychologists

Email: thebrownpsychologist@gmail.com

PRODUCER

Hana Walker-Brown Multi-Award-Winning Documentary Maker www.hanawalkerbrown.com Music Credit: Sunny Robertson @sunnyrobertsonmusics

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY PLATFORM SOUL SUTRAS

Website: https://soulsutras.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Soul_Sutras

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulsutras/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSutrasNetwork/

Click here to join the Soul Sutras newsletter:

https://soulsutras.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ddd9c3fdfeb58cecbc5d8a6b2&id=99fbec55d9

"Being Sri Lankan in America is to unapologetically claim my space as a South Asian..."

The final episode of Season Two is a special that was recorded, on campus, at UC Berkeley, California interviewing young South Asian American womxn about their experiences. I talked to Sitara Bellam, Emma Desilva, Medhavi G & Shenali Pilapitiya, Students from The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley ’20 & ’21).

They spoke about their identity, their individual struggles, about being South Asian and being American – and how the two fit together.

We discussed the taboos faced by all South Asian womxn growing up worldwide:

• Not being able to date
• Having to hide your sexuality
• Having to lead double lives
• Issues around female sexuality and periods
• Fighting to become strong powerful women

Fabulous, fierce South Asian American womxn...

Sitara Bellam: @sitarabellam

“I think that as South Asian Americans we have to not only uplift the creatives and change-makers across our Diaspora but remain equally critical in how we engage with our culture and what stories we tell about our identities.”

Emma DeSilva: @emmaadesilvaa

“I hope South Asian Americans will have the confidence to go after their passions and interests, while not sacrificing their South Asian identities. And we’ll see more South Asian American representation in areas, like film, music, media, and politics.”

Shenali Pilapitiya: @ _shenali

“Being Sri Lankan in America is to unapologetically and proudly claim my space as a South-Asian woman, and to contribute to the culture, knowledge and stories of WOC that shape the foundations of America.”

"I had night sweats, hot flushes, itchy skin, insomnia, tingling on my skin..."

In this episode, I talk with Madhu Kapoor, Founder, M for Menopause who went through a difficult journey through menopause. She found no literature or support when she was struggling. And is now on a mission to get South Asian women talking openly about the menopause.

Sangeeta’s monologues talk about how talking about any female bodily functions was such a taboo when she was growing up. In a culture that doesn’t discuss periods, or childbirth or sex and how they affect our bodies – talking about menopause is such a long way away.

MORE ABOUT MADHU

Madhu’s menopause journey was horrific; she struggled at home, socially and at work. As her symptoms became severe her relationships broke down and affected her life and work. Despite having been surrounded by women all her life, she’d never had any open discussions about the menopause and she really struggled.

This led her to set up M for Menopause which aims to encourage open conversations about the menopause and to increase knowledge, awareness and support for women, employers and families.

Website:

www.mformenopause.co.uk

Insta:

@mformenopause

Facebook:

@mformenopause

RESOURCES

If you’ve been affected by the themes of this episode, please check out these resources:

NHS

MENOPAUSE SUPPORT

MENOPAUSE RESOURCES

NICE RESOURCES

"Three-quarters of women with HIV in the UK are BAME..."

In episode seven, I talk to Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan, an NHS Consultant who’s also a Sexual Health & HIV activist, working primarily among South Asian womxn. Many of whom have contracted the virus through their husbands, but are unable to tell anyone because of the stigma around HIV.

Plus an interview with Mina Kakaiya, who’s had HIV for 20 years and is now an activist working to help other South Asian womxn tackle the stigma associated with HIV.

Both Rageshri & Mina who have such passion and compassion in their work, help us look at HIV in a totally different way.

We explore:

• The shame and secrecy that surround HIV in South Asian culture

• How stigma prevents South Asian womxn with HIV seeking support

• How shame is such a huge part of South Asian culture

MORE ABOUT DR. RAGESHRI:

Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan is a Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV at Barts Health NHS Trust and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. Her clinical work, teaching and research focuses on health inequalities, especially on the intersections between health, race and gender. She is an elected trustee of the British HIV Association, medical board member of NAZ, a charity specialising in the sexual health of minority ethnic communities and has recently joined the Race and Health collective. She has recently co-founded SAHAR, the South Asian HIV Advisory Resource and is passionate about reducing the stigma of talking about sex, sexuality and sexual health in South Asian communities in the UK.

Twitter: @crageshri

Insta: @crageshri

MORE ABOUT MINA:

Mina Kakaiya is a social entrepreneur, speaker, author and wellbeing coach. She is a trainer in mental health, emotional resilience and mindfulness. And has been a volunteer peer mentor with Positively UK and informed national BHVIA HIV standards for Peer Support. She has also been involved in HIV campaigns and national and is an international speaker on HIV.

Twitter: @KakaiyaMina

LinkedIn: @mina-kakaiya

RESOURCES:

If you’ve been affected by the themes of this episode, please check out these resources:

NAZ

POSITIVELY UK

TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST

THE FOODCHAIN

AIDSMAP

ORGANISATIONS FOCUSSED ON SEXUAL HEALTH FOR SOUTH ASIANS

NAZ & MATT FOUNDATION

IMAAN

CYSTERS

"My daughter asked if she could choose my wig after chemo..."

In this episode, I speak with Susmita Bhattacharya. She’s an award-winning author with many books to her credit. Her debut novel, The Normal State of Mind, was longlisted for the Mumbai Film Festival prize, Word to Screen. Her short story collection, Table Manners, won the Saboteur Award in 2019 . Susmita’s work has been featured in many magazines and BBC Radio 4. She also teaches creative writing at universities and to young people in the community, and has judged many short story competitions.

We talk about the taboo around discussing any major illness in our culture. Particularly, cancer. Susmita shares her own journey of discovering she had cancer, going through chemotherapy, learning to talk about it with her kids. She talks about the silence around the issue within the South Asian community as well as the support she received from some community members.

MORE ABOUT SUSMITA:

• Creative Writing Lecturer, Winchester University

• Creative Writing faciliator for Mayflower Young Writers, an ArtfulScribe project in collaboration with Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

http://www.artfulscribe.co.uk/blog-category/mayflower-young-writers

Editing services:

https://www.upclose-editing.com

Insta

@susmita_b_writer

Twitter

@susmitatweets

MORE ABOUT SUSMITA’S BOOKS

http://dahlia-books.kong365.com/en-gb/products/table-manners

https://www.parthianbooks.com/products/the-normal-state-of-mind

“A deliciously bold debut novel …vivid and tender, funny and bittersweet. It’s fearlessly full of surprises about what it meant to be young and female in 1990s India on the cusp of change.” Rosie Dastgir, A Small Fortune

Table Manners on BBC Radio 4 Extra:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dpz8?fbclid=IwAR3NFwKb1VEm905Y34Yl9OGlmhDcfuBS-dJBaNMV3DLpDKT5T9aFHZXiUWQ

“These triumphant, sharp eyed humorous stories mark the arrival of an intriguing new voice; tender, poignant and wry.” Irenosen Okojie, Speak Gigantular

RESOURCES:

If you’ve been affected by the themes of this episode, please check out these resources:

MACMILLAN

Phoneline – Support available from 9-5, Monday – Friday – 0808 808 0000

NHS

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

STIGMA AMONG SOUTH ASIANS

"An ordinary salwar-kameez clad young woman fights sex trafficking..."

In this episode, I talk with Ram Devineni & Dipti Mehta, who are the creators of the Priya Shakti comic book – which has made the topic of sex trafficking really accessible to younger people. Their project was named “Gender Equality Champion” by UN Women. This is the first ever Indian comic book series tackling serious issues like sexual violence and trafficking of young women by using Augmented Reality technology to appeal to younger audiences.

MORE ABOUT RAM DEVINENI

Ram is the creator of the Priya’s Shakti comic book series and named by UN Women as a “gender quality champion”. He is a filmmaker who produced, edited and directed the feature documentary, “The Karma Killings,” which was shot in India and released on Netflix. Recently, he produced “The Russian Woodpecker,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

MORE ABOUT DIPTI MEHTA

Dipti is an award winning, actor and writer of the interactive comic book, “Priya and the Lost Girls.” She wrote “HONOUR: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan,” which is an attempt to give voice and a face to brothel dwellers bringing their humanity to encounter that of her audiences, and is now touring internationally, creating awareness about the issues of trafficking and human rights. She best known for her portrayal of Reina in “Life! Camera Action,” which brought her multiple international awards and nominations.

MORE ABOUT THE PRIYA SHAKTI SERIES

http:// https://www.priyashakti.com/

RESOURCES

If you’ve been affected by the themes of this episode, please check out these resources:

APNE AAP

ANTI-SLAVERY

MODERN SLAVERY

SEX TRAFFICKING

Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian & British Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. Sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, mental health, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos. On each episode, I speak to brave and beautiful South Asian women: burlesque dancers, drag queens, mental health specialists, erotic novel lovers, acclaimed writers as well as queer & non-binary actors. I also talk about my own experiences, growing up in a traditional Indian family, discovering and learning to love my own body, and my sexuality.  

“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 Arshi: a poet, novelist and essayist. Mona is a regular on the radio & her work has been published in several prestigious publications. In this episode, Mona & Sangeeta talk about grief, navigating our language and culture around it. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/grief-mona-arshi-masala-podcast/

Mona Arshi Masala Podcast

Please note that the topic of this podcast might be triggering for some listeners. Feel free to skip this episode if this is difficult for you.

“Mridul shares what it was like growing up in India as a trans woman. She speaks eloquently about her transition journey and all the difficult paths she had to navigate along the way.”

On this episode, Mridul Wadhwa, the Chief Executive Officer of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre talks to Sangeeta Pillai, creator of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast. Mridul grew up in India & talks about her transition journey and all the difficult paths she navigated along the way. Mridul has worked in the gender based violence sector in Scotland since 2004. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Mridul Wadhwa Masala Podcast

Please note that the topic of this podcast might be triggering for some listeners.

“Nina speaks so openly about being abused by her father. I was struck by how eloquently and compassionately she talked about the incredibly tough circumstances of her life.”

Sangeeta Pillai, from the feminist favourite Masala Podcast, talks with Nina Ganguli. Nina is a survivor of sexual abuse, who has dedicated her life to helping others. Listening to Nina talk about the sexual abuse she suffered in her childhood is tough but hearing her talk about her journey is also incredibly inspiring. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For useful resources & transcript, please visit:

Nina Ganguli Masala Podcast

“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 Skates. 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, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Oorbee Roy Masala Podcast

“As women, we carry within us infinite pleasure & the capacity to experience orgasms. But our cultural baggage, with its ideas of ‘shame’ or the sense of feeling ‘dirty’ around sex has stopped us accessing our own pleasure.”

Let’s talk about sex, betis! Sangeeta Pillai, from the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast, chats with Pallavi Barnwal, a globally renowned sex & intimacy coach. She has counselled thousands of people helping them understand, navigate, and improve both their sex lives and intimate relationships. On this episode, we explore why sex and pleasure are still so difficult for us within South Asian culture. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Pallavi Barnwal Masala Podcast

“Motherhood and the pressure around it are such important topics for us women. In this episode, we talk about society’s obsession with all women being certain kinds of mothers.”

On this episode of Masala Podcast, two fierce feminists, Sangeeta Pillai & Pragya Agarwal, discuss motherhood. Pragya Agarwal is a behavioural and data scientist, two-time TEDx speaker & renowned author. Together, Pragya and Sangeeta explore nuances around modern motherhood & society’s obsession with all women becoming mothers. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Pragya Agarwal Masala Podcast

"I feel pressure to produce perfect chapattis despite being a successful comedian!"

I speak with Shazia Mirza, a famous comedian and writer, appearing on Jonathan Ross, Celebrity Island with Bear Gryls, Celebs in Solitary & many more shows. Her new show ‘Coconut’ will be on tour in 2021. Shazia travels all over the world doing stand-up comedy, is hugely successful but still feels the pressure to be the perfect South Asian woman.

Shazia and I speak about some of the issues we’ve experienced in our culture:

• The expectation to always be the dutiful daughter, to be the quiet subservient one

• The expectation to get married, have kids, look after everyone around us

• How cultural conditioning carries on even with professional successful South Asian womxn

• Anti-blackness that pervades South Asian society, and what can be done to change it

• Getting our names mis-pronounced (Shazia being called ‘Shava Minza’ has got to be the funniest!)

• How all brown women are lumped into the same person (Shazia talks about being mistaken for everyone from Meera Syal to Malala to her local GP)

MORE ABOUT SHAZIA:

https://www.shazia-mirza.com/

Instagram: @theshaziamirza

Twitter: @shaziamirza1

RESOURCES

Want to explore more about the themes discussed in this episode? Here are some resources/social media accounts that you might find useful:

THE INDIAN FEMINIST

https://www.instagram.com/the_indian_feminist/?hl=en

ASIAN WOMEN FESTIVAL:

https://www.asianwomanfestival.com/

BROWN GIRL MAGAZINE

https://www.browngirlmagazine.com/

BURNT ROTI

https://www.burntroti.com/

"I was depressed & suicidal because of how I was treated because of my skin colour."

In this episode, I speak with Seema Hari, who is a model, a Software Engineer and a powerful activist fighting colourism.

Seema talks about growing up as a dark skinned Indian girl and the awful way she was treated by teachers and adults around her. She talks about slowly worked towards loving her own skin colour – to become a model and an activist fighting hard to change South Asian attitudes towards dark skin. Seema is a passionate activist fighting colourism in South Asian society, constantly challenging Bollywood actors and government policies.

Together, we explore the South Asian fixation for fairer skin, with millions spent on skin lightening creams and bleaches. We talk about:

• The idea of beauty attached to skin colour
• How the Hindi word for beauty ‘gori’ translates as white
• How our South Asian obsession with light skin damages life on so many levels

MORE ABOUT SEEMA:

Instagram: @seemahari

RESOURCES

Want to explore more about the issues discussed in this episode? Here are some articles/resources that you might find interesting:

Dark Is Beautiful

Guardian article

BBC article

NPR article

The Star article

"This idea of not belonging anywhere is one of the sadnesses of my life."

In this episode, I speak with writer, poet, speaker and BBC radio presenter Salma El-Wardany speaks about juggling multiple identities & looking for belonging within those identities. She speaks about her South Asian side and how her ‘Desi’ identity plays out in her life & her work.

MORE ABOUT SALMA:

Writer, poet, speaker and BBC radio presenter, Salma El-Wardany performs internationally, has given 2 TEDx Talks, worked with Edinburgh University on the Dangerous Woman project, as well as partnering with The British Library and The Wellcome Collection. She’s half Egyptian, half Irish and part Desi and regularly works with global brands to raise awareness through poetry and conversation, most recently working with Always on their ‘End Period Poverty’ campaign. She’s also worked with Virgin, Made.com, Bumble, Hinge, Sofar Sounds and Plan International. She writes for Metro, Stylist, Huffpost and Buzzfeed.

Website:

https://www.salmaelwardany.com/

Insta:

@salmaelwardany

Twitter:

@writtenbysalma

RESOURCES

If you’ve been affected by the themes of this episode, please check out these resources:

REFUGE

Freephone 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247

CITIZENS ADVICE

WOMEN'S AID

SOLACE

RIGHTS OF WOMEN

FOR SOUTH ASIAN WOMXN:

SOUTHALL BLACK SISTERS

ASIAN WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE

Email: info@awrc.org.uk

Tel: 020 89616549

"My mum found out that I was a Porn Star!"

This episode features an interview with the South Asian porn star Sahara Knite. We explore attitudes towards porn & sex among South Asians, and talk about very South Asian fetishes. We talk about Sahara’s family and their responses to her work.

Sangeeta talks about her personal experiences watching porn for the first time, when she was growing up in India. She also discusses how porn skews our idea of what the ‘perfect porn body’ should be. And how porn has normalised the concept that all women have hairless bodies and hairless vulvas. As well as the racial stereotyping that exists in porn.

MORE ABOUT SAHARA:

Website:

https://saharaknite.co.uk/

Insta:

@itsmesaharaknite

Twitter:

@saharaknite

"Women are taught to carry shame & honour for their families."

In this episode, I speak with Leesa Gazi, the director of a critically acclaimed and highly impactful film about survivors of rape in Bangladesh during the war, who are now in their 70’s and 80s. Leesa stayed with the women, connected with them and discussed their experiences – and has now turned this into an empathetic and impactful film.

Leesa and I discuss:

• How patriarchal attitudes in the culture prevent rape victims from coming forward

• The horror and impact of rape on women and young girls in South Asian communities

• How the burden of “honour” & “shame” are attached exclusively to women in South Asian culture

ABOUT THE FILM ‘RISING SILENCE’:

https://www.risingsilence.co.uk/

MORE ABOUT LEESA:

Leesa Gazi is a Bangladeshi-born British writer, actor, filmmaker and Joint Artistic Director of a London based arts company Komola Collective. She is the concept developer, co-writer and performer of the theatre production Birangona: Women of War, which she later developed into the documentary film Rising Silence, which has won multiple international awards. The film sheds light on the lives of rape survivors of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Twitter:

@LeesaGazi

Insta:

@leesagazi

RESOURCES

If you’ve been affected by the themes of this episode, please check out these resources:

RAPE CRISIS

Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (12-2:30 and 7-9:30)

NHS

VICTIM SUPPORT

Supportline: 0333 300 6389

THE SURVIVORS TRUST

Helpline: 0808 801 0818

SUPPORTLINE

Helpline: 01708 765200

Email: info@supportline.org.uk

SAFELINE

“The funny brown auntie we all wish we had, is taking over the world with her brand of Indian mum comedy.”

Season four of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast returns with Sangeeta Pillai chatting with international comedian & TikTok star Zarna Garg. Zarna describes herself as an Indian immigrant wife, mom, lawyer, screenwriter, producer, stand-up comedian & overbearing Indian auntie. In this episode, we explore how we as womxn need to be valued (and paid!) for our time & efforts. Masala Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Zarna Garg Masala Podcast

“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 British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Shani Dhanda Masala Podcast

“I’m sitting in my brown-ness and actually enjoying it…”

For this very special episode of Masala Podcast, Masala Podcast interviewed the women behind South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM). On this episode, we talk about what it means to be a South Asian woman in Britain today, particularly during COVID times as well as the rich bits of our culture that excite us the most. Think saris, samosas & music.

READ MORE

“We talk about our shared cultural heritage, taking ownership of our bodies as womxn & the sexual harassment we’ve faced in our own lives.”

In this episode, I speak with Anoushka Shankar, one of the world’s biggest names in Indian classical music. Daughter of the renowned Ravi Shankar, Anoushka is an incredible musician in her own right as well as a writer, as well as being a music composer & a proud feminist.

We talk about taking ownership of our bodies as womxn & the sexual harassment we’ve faced in our own lives. We also discuss our shared cultural heritage, as well as the joys and the pains of being South Asian.

READ MORE

“We’re the pride of our families, we’re the shame of our families. Put a foot wrong and you’re out!“

On this episode, Anita talks about all the pressures & pains of being the “right sort” of South Asian woman. As well as the pleasures of being part of this incredible culture.

Having grown up in Bradford, Anita is a proud mix of her Yorkshire and Punjabi roots. Her brand new memoir, The Right Sort of Girl, explores both those aspects of her. As well as exploring many thought-provoking & taboo-busting topics.

I loved chatting with Anita for Masala Podcast, the conversation warmed my soul and made me tear up a little.

Let’s hear it for this Badass Brown Girl, who is exactly The Right Sort of Girl for us all!

READ MORE

"Talking about life for women in South Asian culture and how society treats older women."

Meet Shobhaa De, one of THE most well-know names in India. A fiery, feisty 70-something woman. Super successful & super confident. In this episode, Shobhaa talks about life for women in South Asian culture and how society treats older women. Hint: not well.

Shobhaa De is a best-selling novelist, a journalist, an editor, a publisher, a socialite, a scriptwriter, a mother, a grandmother…the list goes on.

READ MORE

“Stop cutting our girls, is that too much to ask?”

Meet Aarefa Johari, a passionate activist working to end the practise of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in her Dawoodi Bohari community. She experienced FGC in her own childhood, being “cut” at the age of 7. And has dedicated her life to ensuring that young girls are no longer subjected to this horrific practise.

Speaking to Aarefa for Masala Podcast in her Mumbai flat was such an incredibly inspiring experience. I found Aarefa to be this quietly powerful force creating a revolution in her community, changing minds and stopping a terrible practise that has gone on for generations.

READ MORE

“People making condoms haven’t considered that these things go INTO women’s bodies!”

Meet Farah Kabir, co-founder of HANX, who tackles the taboo around female contraception & women’s intimate sexual health. In this episode, Sangeeta & Farah talk about why women taking charge of their own contraception and pleasure is important.

Farah co-founded HANX in 2017, spurred on by the desire to smash taboos around sex, pleasure and intimate health.

READ MORE

“My husband kicked me out of the house with less than £10 in my pocket…”

Meet Vandana Shah who went through a horrific divorce herself then went on to become an award-winning divorce lawyer, author, columnist and social entrepreneur.

After being thrown out from her husband’s home in the middle of the night with just Rs. 750 in her bank account (around 10 pounds), Vandana rebuilt her life and became a successful lawyer, author and role model for women going through abusive marriages.

Vandana is also the author of the bestseller ‘Ex Files’: The story of my divorce’ published by Penguin which looks at divorce through a humorous lens. The book is now a part of the Judicial College syllabus.

READ MORE

“We should get rid of the shame we feel asking for our pleasure, prioritising our pleasure.”

Meet Leeza Mangaldas, India’s foremost sex-positive content creator.

Leeza’s work is all about normalising conversations around sexuality, sexual health, gender and the body – with a particular focus on women and pleasure.

I interviewed Leeza for Masala Podcast, we talked about why sex & female pleasure is still a taboo in Indian and South Asian culture.

READ MORE

“I was told I had Vitiligo at 20 & told there was no real cure for it…”

Meet Joti Gata-Aura, a Body Positivity Spokesperson & Social Media Advocate. Joti was diagnosed with Vitiligo at a young age. But she turned a difficult situation into a fantastic body-positivity movement. 

In this episode, Joti & Sangeeta talk about why our culture only offers space for a very limited beauty aesthetic. And how important it is for younger and older people to feel comfortable in their own skin.

READ MORE

“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 Podcast, winner of British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021 & 2022 is a Spotify Original created & presented by Sangeeta Pillai @soulsutras

For show notes & transcript, please visit:

Poorna Bell Masala Podcast

Dr. Varuna Srinivasan on Being Bisexual & South Asian: S5 Ep1

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, immigrant, South Asian woman. They are a sexual health expert, writer, and activist who's been featured in many publications like Elle India, Vogue, Business Insider, Cosmopolitan, and more. Varuna is the founder of Tara Health Media, a sexual health education and empowerment lead digital platform for POC communities. Varuna was named woman of courage by Serena Williams. In October 2022, Varuna was Cosmopolitan India's LGBTQ + coverstar.

We are so inspired by Varuna at Masala Podcast, I know you will be too.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-e1-dr-varuna-srinivasan-being-bisexual/

Raveena Aurora on music, spirituality & sensuality: S5 Ep2

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 woman of Indian descent to play at Coachella.  

Raveena’s magical personality shows in her music and shines through her when she speaks. Happy listening.

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 is a gorgeous mix of music, spirituality & sensuality – as you’ll hear in her interview. 

I loved speaking to Raveena about music, the barriers she as a Brown woman has to face and overcome in the industry, and what it was like being the first woman of Indian descent to play at Coachella.  

Raveena’s magical personality shows in her music and shines through her when she speaks.

I hope you love this next episode of Masala Podcast as much as I loved speaking to the magical Raveena.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:https://soulsutras.co.uk/s5-e2-raveena-aurora-music-spirituality-sensuality/

Teen Vogue Editor Versha Sharma on brown fashion power: S5 Ep3

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 several short documentaries and has reported on many serious issues from all over the world. She won an Edward R. Murrow award with the Now This report team having got her start in journalism with an internship at Talking Points Memo in 2009. Varsha went on to cover the 2012 presidential election for MSNBC.

This conversation with Versha has got me absolutely buzzing. Hope you enjoy it too.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-e3-versha-sharma-fashionable-feminist/

Reshma Saujani On Why Women Need Money: S5 EP4

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 has been advocating for policies to support moms impacted by the pandemic.

Reshma is also the author of the international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect, and her influential TED talk, “Teach girls, bravery not perfection,” has more than five million views globally.

I found talking with Reshma Saujani so inspiring. I hope you do too.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep4-reshma-saujani-why-women-need-money/

Tanya Ravichandran, making waves with sustainable fashion: S5 EP5

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 Coveteur to name a few.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode: https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep5-tanya-ravichandran-south-asian-creator-on-shaking-up-fashion/

Melanie Chandra on Diversity & Equality in Hollywood: S5 EP6

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 hilarious comedy central movie, Hot Mess Holiday, which she co-created, executive produced and also starred in. It's the first buddy comedy on American TV to ever star two women of South Asian descent. It was awesome to watch two South Asian women near my age, playing the leads.

A mechanical engineering student at Stanford University, Melanie traded her very successful corporate career for the arts and she hasn't looked back. 

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep-6-melanie-chandra-hollywood-celeb-on-why-diverse-stories-matter/

S5 EP7

Michelle shares her beauty secrets as 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.

Michelle's journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur is so grounded in her South Asian culture and is super inspiring.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep-7-michelle-ranavat-the-power-of-beauty-rituals/

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 American to join the Adobe Creative residency, after which she directed social campaigns for Tom Ford beauty, Disney, Toyota, and more. In 2022, Tanya was honoured on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Her work has also been featured in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Teen Vogue. Tanya lives life in the fullest, brightest colours you can imagine. And that’s just brilliant.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep-8-tanya-gupta-nasa-engineer-turned-artist/

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 producers Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels.

She is also currently developing a TV series adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel A Crown of Wishes, which she will star in and executive produce, for Disney+.

Avantika is the future, and that future is diverse, talented, and young. Watch this space; you won’t want to miss what comes next.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep-9-avantika-vandanapu-hollywood-star-on-loving-saris/

Comedian Aparna Nancherla on Depression & Jokes: S5 Ep 10 

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 called 'Unreliable Narrator' is out now.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep-10-aparna-nancherla-comedian-on-depression-not-being-fun/

Author Mira Jacob on Fighting Racism with Books: S5 Ep 11 

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, Tin House, Literary Hub, Guernica, Vol. 1 and The Telegraph.

Mira Jacob and Masala Podcast had the most wonderful conversation, going from colorism to racism to the joy of fashion. We hope you enjoy listening!

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/s5-ep-11-mira-jacob-author-on-fighting-racists-with-words-pics/

Why I became a South Asian feminist activist: Guest Sangeeta Pillai: S5 Ep 12 

In this extra-special 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 why it’s important for women and girls to have safe spaces like Masala Podcast. And why she will keep being a South Asian feminist and activist until her last breath.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/masala-podcast-season-5/

Richa Moorjani on South Asian Beauty & Identity: S5, Ep 13

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 since her childhood. Her mother is a singer who lived in Mysore before migrating to the United States at the age of seven. A self-taught musical maestro, her father merged his love for music and community, creating bonds with fellow Indian immigrants. 

Together, they formed a band that celebrated their roots through the sounds of Hindi cover songs.

Richa’s upbringing in America sowed the seeds of a cultural blend that would later influence Richa's own artistic endeavours. 

But this episode isn’t all about music, TV and the arts. 

We’re going to get very serious, and make some impact on the cultural divides between Hollywood, and Bollywood.

We're going to confront a critical issue that hits close to home for many of us: the dominance of Western beauty standards and their profound impact on our South Asian cultural ideals. Women, in particular South Asian, really struggle with the Western beauty ideal of “skinny” that is at odds with our very genetics.

In sharing our personal stories, we’ll dissect the intense pressures to conform and the struggle for acceptance, all while highlighting the nuanced racism that we face and our collective yearning for true representation in the media.

You're in for a treat as we reminisce about the familial ties fostered on the beloved show "Never Have I Ever," where Richa brings life to the character of Kamala. She'll share the beauty of her real-life friendship with Poorna Jagannathan and the heartfelt connection shared with the diverse cast mates. 

Plus, we'll delve into the cultural impact of the show and Richa's exciting role as Indira in the hit series "Fargo."

I'm especially excited for what Richa has to share today – wisdom to her younger self and all the South Asian women out there about owning your light and seizing the endless possibilities. 

I'll shed some light on the transformations within our South Asian communities in the UK and the US, celebrating the progress and new paths that are emerging for South Asian women.

Join us as I take you through Richa's incredible story, from a child enamoured with classical dance to a shining presence in the acting world, underscoring the essential need for real representation and the empowering effect of stories that embrace our cultural intricacies.

So settle in as I, Sangeeta, lead you through a conversation filled with not just the challenges but the remarkable victories and advancements for South Asians in the media and beyond, all here on the Masala Podcast.

Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow.

For more on this episode:

https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/fargo-never-have-i-ever-star-richa-moorjani-s5-ep-13/