When a tape from an old edition of her talk show What Women Want leaked online, Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor found herself at the center of a storm for her casual use of a racist epithet.
Kareena inquired of Masaba, the daughter of Neena Gupta and Viv Richards. A former West Indies cricketer, whether she had ever encountered racism because of her mixed ethnicity. Masaba, who was born in India in November 1989, spoke up about the country’s bigotry and its strange fixation on having a fair complexion.
— Celebrities Doing Drunk Sh*t (@cringeindian) July 26, 2023
Masaba has said, “I don’t get why they have this obsession with fair skin; it is something that has always baffled me.” As a result of her dark skin, she has been the target of many slurs and insults. Kareena then joined in and hurled a slur of her own at a different race.
To which he replied, “Or n*****, for that matter, is banned.” Masaba said, “Absolutely, n***** is banned; you can’t really say that,” recognizing the word’s offensiveness. It’s quite hurtful to hear. Additionally, people will begin to liken you to monkeys and apes. In fact, I get that rather frequently.
An old clip from the talk show has been making the rounds again on Twitter, and it’s getting a lot of people all up.
Someone posted, “Just a couple of imbeciles chatting.”
A third voice asked incredulously, “Did she actually say that?.” Another person said, “In her mind, white skin is still superior,” highlighting the widespread outrage at Kareena’s insensitivity. That woman is the epitome of my hatred.
But the conversation kept returning to Kareena’s reckless use of the insulting epithet. Despite her earlier admission that it was inappropriate. The resurfacing of the talk show film has sparked new discussions about the role that prominent personalities should play in fostering a more accepting and equitable society.
Masaba also discussed the bullying she endured as a child due to her mixed ethnicity in the same interview. She revealed that she had always felt like a “unique individual” due to her “mixed” heritage. But that her journey to Antigua, where her father lives, helped her meet other people with similar backgrounds.
