Designer, actor, and creative powerhouse Masaba Gupta sits down with her fellow badass entrepreneurs for conversations full of the hard lessons, epiphanies, and only-funny-in-hindsight moments that have made—and continue to make—them the multi-prong mavens they are. You won’t get inspiration like this in business school. Learn more at https://luminary.link/masaba
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Is Actually Devi IRL
Masaba Gupta talks to Never Have I Ever star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan about watching the TV she wants to watch despite what everyone thinks, Hollywood's issue of diversity and representation—and how that's starting to change, an unforgettable "tip" on how to keep your cool when meeting celebrities, and why Hermione Granger was her childhood hero.
12/6/2023 • 40 minutes, 1 second
Chiki Sarkar on Becoming a Juggernaut
Masaba Gupta talks to the legendary publisher Chiki Sarkar about her long and storied career (which included time as editor-in-chief at Random House India, and publisher at Penguin), and about everything from her view on the evolving reading trends in India, her process of deciding which books to publish, her comfort novel, and her favorite writer to collaborate with.
11/27/2023 • 31 minutes, 34 seconds
Mrinalini Deshmukh Brings Empathy to the Courtroom
Masaba Gupta talks to the iconic lawyer Mrinalini Deshmukh on navigating one’s emotions while practicing law, changing familial trends of the Indian society, the burden of her perception of being a tough taskmaster, the importance of sensitivity in practicing family law, and her desire to join politics.
11/20/2023 • 31 minutes, 9 seconds
Mira Nair on Preserving Creative Instinct
Masaba Gupta talks to the globally acclaimed filmmaker, Mira Nair about her path as an artist–including the inspiration she gets from India, how cinema verité informed her filmmaking, and what drives her choice of subjects and actors. On her eye for spotting, and working with, world-class talent, she says she surrenders to people, which gets them to do what she wants them to do, but “using their spirit that I saw in them.”Nair also talks about her upcoming film on Amrita Sher-gill, who she describes as “a bit like me. She has straddled two worlds to make a unique vocabulary of her painting.”
11/13/2023 • 26 minutes, 52 seconds
Mallika Dua Is in on the Joke
Actor and comedian Mallika Dua talks with Masaba Gupta about her training as an actor, and why she calls herself an accidental comedian. The duo compare notes on the perils of creating content for social media platforms, and the future of the Internet. Plus Mallika shares the importance of mental health in her life, including her approach to dealing with personal loss.
11/6/2023 • 43 minutes, 43 seconds
Neena Gupta on Seizing Your Opportunities
Masaba Gupta talks to her mother and co-star (in the series Masaba, Masaba), Neena Gupta. The iconic actor talks about the journey of her career–from humble beginnings in theatre, to her breakout roles, to succeeding in the film industry without mentors. She reflects on creating a strong sense of purpose in life, and the difference between popularity and success. Plus: Neena Gupta gives her take on the hot button issue of nepotism in Bollywood.
10/30/2023 • 40 minutes, 27 seconds
Neerja Birla on Being a Champion of Mental Health
Masaba Gupta talks to the educator, philanthropist, and businesswoman Dr. Neerja Birla about juggling multiple personal and professional roles, her penchant for exploring India by bicycle, her perspectives on raising children, and the important work she does to raise awareness about mental health.
10/23/2023 • 31 minutes, 26 seconds
Mithali Raj on Empathetic Leadership
Masaba Gupta talks to the legendary Indian cricketer Mithali Raj about her philosophy on leadership, and why being an empathetic leader is so important. The accomplished athlete describes her admiration for cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and cricket coach Ricky Ponting. Plus, she reflects on the timely topic of equal pay for men and women cricketers. Raj also reveals what she does to calm her nerves in tense moments during a match.
10/16/2023 • 44 minutes, 39 seconds
Vogue India's Megha Kapoor on Cultivating Creatives
The Head of Editorial Content at Vogue India, Megha Kapoor, sits down with Masaba Gupta to discuss how she has been navigating the intertwined worlds of fashion and Bollywood while contributing vision and energy to an amazing brand. They talk about Megha’s passion for being a champion of young creatives, welcoming diverse voices to the table of collaboration, and the myth of networking. Plus: what it’s like working with Anna Wintour (and the seemingly rare expression Megha is able to elicit from her iconic mentor and boss). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10/9/2023 • 36 minutes, 57 seconds
Anita Dongre on Designing a Life She Loves
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10/2/2023 • 31 minutes, 46 seconds
Faye D'Souza is Changing News
Masaba Gupta talks to the award-winning journalist Faye D’Souza about what it has been like to start an independent news portal, as well as what her relationship with news is–for example her take on trigger warnings, and how she protects herself in the face of disturbing news. She also shares her best practice for getting the most out of an interviewee, and who she has had the most fun interviewing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9/25/2023 • 29 minutes, 34 seconds
Anoushka Shankar on Creative Fuel
Masaba Gupta talks to the sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar about her long and storied career in music, including the thrill of performing live--especially after the pandemic. She also describes what she considers the secret sauce of collaborating with great artists. and recounts a memorable moment and lesson from “Uncle George”, a.k.a The Beatles’ George Harrison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9/18/2023 • 40 minutes, 3 seconds
Vidya Balan on the Power of Being Unapologetic
Vidya Balan is living proof that conventions can be broken. When the Bollywood superstar sat down with Masaba Gupta, the two discussed Vidya’s unique career path, as well as how she prepares for, and brings emotional authenticity to, the characters she plays. Vidya also spoke candidly about body positivity in the face of public scrutiny, and how her relationship with her body and fashion (Vidya is one of the first few actresses to take the traditional Indian garment, the sari, international) has evolved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9/11/2023 • 45 minutes, 59 seconds
Chef Garima Arora on Being the Culture
Masaba Gupta talks to Chef Garima Arora, the first Indian woman to win a Michelin star for her Bangkok restaurant, GAA. Garima speaks about her newfound love of working out (and forever love of nachos), experience working at Noma, and philosophies on leadership and culture-building. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9/4/2023 • 30 minutes, 59 seconds
Sania Mirza on the Match That Changed Everything
Masaba Gupta talks to Sania Mirza about her glorious tennis career--how it all began, and the sacrifices it took to become the world's number one. Sania muses about her impending retirement, and how motherhood has affected her personal life and her tennis career. She also talks about the life-changing match she played with Serena Williams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
8/23/2023 • 37 minutes, 4 seconds
This is How I Masaba
Designer and actress Masaba Gupta sits down with fellow badass femmes to learn how they do them. These are the inspirational mindsets, necessary daily practices, and only-funny-in-hindsight experiences that have defined, and continue to drive, some of our culture’s most talented people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.