Masaba Gupta is one of India’s most recognisable designers and a steadily rising actor who has built a career defined by bold originality, digital-first entrepreneurship, and an unapologetic personal narrative. Founder of the label House of Masaba and often hailed as the “Queen of Prints,” she is known for her fearless design language, mixing Indian motifs with global silhouettes, and for her distinctive presence on screen in the Netflix series Masaba Masaba.
But behind her success lies a childhood shaped by intense public scrutiny, something she has begun speaking about with striking candour.
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In a recent conversation on Barkha Dutt’s Mojo Story, Masaba recalled how her birth and her mother Neena Gupta’s relationship with West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards were sensationalised by sections of the media in the 1990s. The designer revealed an incident that left a deep mark early in life:
“My birth certificate was stolen from the hospital I was born in, and then it was leaked to the press. It was on the front page of a newspaper because someone wanted to prove that I was an illegitimate child.”
As Barkha Dutt recounted how tabloids tried to “prove” that Vivian Richards was her father, Masaba described the experience as “brutal,” adding that she fully understood its implications only around the age of 9 or 10.
“It was cruel, strange and very bad for my mother… I don’t understand why people had to do that. People in general are very cruel, and I don’t understand why.”
Neena Gupta’s resilience, in her own words
Neena Gupta, whose acting career spans more than four decades, has long spoken about raising Masaba on her own after choosing to continue her pregnancy. In her memoir Sach Kahun Toh, she writes:
“Vivian and I had an affair and I got pregnant… Some people advised me to get an abortion… But once I was back home and alone, I asked myself: What do you think? The answer was: I was giddy with joy.”
Though often described as a “single mother,” Neena has repeatedly said she did not raise Masaba entirely alone. In an earlier interview with Pinkvilla, she explained:
“I was a single mother for maybe two years. Then my dad came… He looked after my household, me, and my daughter. He was the man in my life.”
Masaba’s rise: design, digital disruption, and acting
Masaba was born in 1989, her entry into fashion was immediate and impactful. After completing a diploma in Apparel Manufacturing and Design from SNDT Women’s University, she debuted at Lakmé Fashion Week at just 19. Within a few years, House of Masaba became a defining voice in Indian contemporary fashion specially known for its signature cow motif, Tamil script sarees, resort-wear-inspired drapes, and striking prints.
A pioneer in digital retail, she is also credited as the first Indian designer to host an entire fashion show on Instagram and has openly stated that a large part of her business comes through WhatsApp-based sales.
Her entrepreneurial footprint later expanded into beauty with LoveChild by Masaba.
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On screen, Masaba gained widespread attention with Masaba Masaba (2020–present), a scripted Netflix series where she and Neena Gupta portray heightened versions of their real lives. She also appeared in Modern Love: Mumbai (2022), adding another layer to her steadily evolving artistic profile.
Personal life
Masaba got married to film producer Madhu Mantena in 2015 and the couple got divorced in 2019. In January 2023, she married actor Satyadeep Mishra, who also appears alongside her in her Netflix show.
