Have you ever felt so angry you could scream, but swallowed it to keep the peace? For generations, women have been taught that our anger is ugly, hysterical and unladylike. We are conditioned to be the 'good girls' and the peacemakers. But what happens to all that unexpressed rage? It literally makes us sick.

In the Season Premiere of Masala Podcast, host Sangeeta Pillai explores the devastating physical and mental toll of suppressing female rage - from chronic stress and high cortisol to the staggering rates of autoimmune diseases in women.

To break this conditioning...

Healing Trauma with Ancient Indian Feminist Wisdom in Kerala

Why am I leaving my safe London life, packing away my podcast awards and returning to the very culture that traumatised me?

After 11 years in my beautiful canalside flat, I am giving away 70% of my belongings, shedding my "London Sangeeta" identity, and taking nothing with me but my mother’s burnt orange silk sari. I am going back to the lush green backwaters of Kerala.

In this deeply vulnerable bridging episode, I am opening up about a mystical vision in a Kerala temple that ch...

Is It Culture or Is It Control? The Truth About 'Honour'-Based Abuse

SPECIAL EPISODE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UK GOVERNMENT

What do you think of when you hear the words ‘Honour’-Based Abuse? If you think it doesn’t happen to people like you, in cosmopolitan cities like London, then this is a must-listen episode.

This week, I, Sangeeta Pillai, am talking about something deeply important and often misunderstood: ‘Honour’-Based Abuse (HBA). This isn't just a distant headline; it's a reality for thousands of women in the UK, from all walks of life. I’ll...

Breaking the Cycle of South Asian Cultural Shame | Masala Podcast

I'm peeling back the layers on a tough topic for South Asian diaspora experience: Cultural Shame. This isn't just about feeling "different"; it’s about the deep-rooted psychological burden of feeling that our culture, our bodies, and our very existence are "wrong" in a Western context.

1. Why We Feel Cultural Shame

We didn't wake up with this feeling; it was designed. We explore the "why" behind our embarrassment and our "Log Kya Kehenge" thinking:

The Colonial Hangover: Centuries of being told ou...

Have you ever looked at your life and thought it looked perfect on the outside—maybe even "Instagrammable"—yet felt a deep, invisible ache inside? In this episode of the Masala Podcast, host Sangeeta Pillai gets more personal than ever to break the silence around a global epidemic: Loneliness.

Sangeeta shares the raw reality of her own "peak" moment—standing in London’s Leicester Square looking at her own face on a giant billboard, only to realize she had no one to call and share the news with. We dive into why so many South Asian women feel lik...

The Pleasure is All Yours: Stop Waiting & Start Owning Your Fire

Why is female pleasure still the ultimate taboo? In our community, we talk about marriage, children, and duty—but we rarely talk about a woman’s right to her own sexual satisfaction.

This week on the Masala Podcast, we’re exploring the psychology of pleasure and the biology of bliss. This episode is a deep dive into sexual agency—the radical idea that you are the primary driver of your own enjoyment. We are moving past the silence and into a space of embodied empowerm...

Trauma Healing: It's more than just therapy

For most of my life, I thought being a "strong" South Asian woman meant carrying my burdens in silence. I thought if I just worked harder, ignored the tightness in my chest, and kept moving, the ghosts of the past would stay where they belonged.

But our bodies don't forget.

In this week’s episode, I’m being super vulnerable to talk about trauma—not as a clinical term, but as a lived experience. I'm sharing the moments I felt broken, the exhaustion of a constantly "on-edg...

Trauma Healing: It's more than just therapy

For most of my life, I thought being a "strong" South Asian woman meant carrying my burdens in silence. I thought if I just worked harder, ignored the tightness in my chest, and kept moving, the ghosts of the past would stay where they belonged.

But our bodies don't forget.

In this week’s episode, I’m being super vulnerable to talk about trauma—not as a clinical term, but as a lived experience. I'm sharing the moments I felt broken, the exhaustion of a constantly "on-edg...

Can you ever truly be a "good" daughter while staying true to yourself?

In this episode: understand the the Mother Wound, learn how to stop passing it on.

The bond between a mother and daughter is often described as sacred, but for so many of us, it's a complex battlefield of unspoken expectations, inherited trauma, and deep-seated guilt. In this raw and revealing episode of the Bad Daughter miniseries, I get vulnerable, revealing my own pain around my mother - so you can understand yourself better and start exploring how to heal your own mother-daugher...

Masala Podcast is back with the Bad Daughter miniseries. Where we carry on exploring taboo topics, have provocative conversations and challenge patriarchy. Let's go!

GOODBYE GOOD GIRL, HELLO BAD DAUGHTER!

Are you constantly editing yourself, tweaking yourself, minimising yourself to fit into what the world wants you to be? In this episode, I’ll be exploring Good Girl vs Bad Daughter. In fact, we're throwing the good girl script out the window. Because I promise you, when we own our Bad Daughter self - that’s when we really start living our lives. Are you read...

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 Sexu...

"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...

"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...

"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...

"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...

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 sin...

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 space...

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 a...

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' i...

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...

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...

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.<...

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, wh...

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.<...

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 re...

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...

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 wom...

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...

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 literatu...

“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 Britis...

“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<...

“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 sho...

“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...

“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...

“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...

“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...

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 t...

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...

“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 & transcri...

“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