Masaba Gupta says her father Vivian Richards still tears up talking about his struggle with racism

Ace fashion designer and actor Masaba Gupta is the daughter of veteran actor Neena Gupta and legendary West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards.

Masaba Gupta has often talked frankly about her struggles with racism. In an interview with Faye D'Souza, she opened up on how much her father, legendary West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards, has struggled with the same issue. (Also Read – Masaba Gupta says her masseuse advised her to eat rasgullas to have a fairer child: ‘Saawla nahi hona chahiye’)

Masaba on her father's struggles

Masaba Gupta with her dad Vivian Richards

“Now I know why my father felt so strongly about it (racism) for so many years. Till today, if you ask him, he'll have tears in his eyes or he'll have this rage in him, where he will answer with a lot of pride. He grew up in the worst of times. He played professional cricket in a time where the colour of your skin came in the way of your ability to move ahead in the world. It's there, everywhere. It'll keep being spoken of until we fight for it, and it's only going to happen if everybody fights for it," said Masaba.

Masaba on racism towards her unborn child

Masaba even confessed that she gets pregnancy advice on how to give birth to a “lighter” child. "It happened to me just yesterday that somebody who came up to me for some pre-natal something telling me, ‘You must eat a rasgulla every day' because your kid has to turn out lighter than you. And then, 15 days before that, I was getting another pre-natal massage, because that's what I do, and she (her masseuse) said to me, ‘Aap na doodh liya karo (you must consume milk). Saawla nahi hona chahiye, nahi honi chahiye, whatever (your child must not turn out dusky).' It was said with so much innocence. You have no choice – what can I do? Punch my masseuse? No,” she added.