Fashion designer and actress Masaba Gupta, widely recognized for her role in the Netflix series ‘Masaba Masaba’, has recently opened up about the challenges her father, the legendary cricketer Sir Viv Richards, faced due to racism during his illustrious career. In a candid conversation with journalist Faye D’Souza, Masaba shared poignant insights into her father’s experiences and the ongoing impact of racism.
Masaba revealed that racial prejudices deeply affected her father, renowned for his extraordinary cricketing career with the West Indies team from 1974 to 1991.
“Now I understand why my father has such strong feelings about racism,” Masaba explained. “He would talk about it with a mix of pride and pain, and even today, discussing it can bring him to tears or fill him with a fierce rage. He played during an era when racial discrimination was rampant, and his achievements were often overshadowed by the color of his skin.”
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Sir Viv Richards, celebrated for his dynamic batting style and his crucial role in West Indies’ victories in the 1975 and 1979 Cricket World Cups, faced significant racial barriers. Despite his remarkable success, the struggle against these prejudices was a constant battle. Masaba emphasized that this societal issue persists and requires collective action to overcome. “Racism is everywhere,” she asserted. “It’s an ongoing battle, and we will continue to talk about it until we all unite to fight against it.”
In addition to discussing her father’s legacy, Masaba Gupta addressed another personal issue related to societal attitudes towards skin color. During her pregnancy, she encountered unsolicited and intrusive advice regarding the complexion of her future child.
Masaba recounted instances where she received advice to consume certain foods to ensure her baby would have a lighter skin tone. “Just the other day, someone told me to eat rasgullas to make sure my baby turns out lighter,” she shared. “And a few weeks ago, my massage therapist suggested I drink more milk to avoid having a dusky child. It was all said with such innocence, but it’s frustrating. What can I do? Punch my masseuse?”
Masaba’s experiences reflect a broader issue where racial and color biases continue to affect people’s lives in so many ways.