Masala Podcast: The South Asian feminist podcast

Soul Sutras
  • 4.9 (13)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS

This multi-award-winning South Asian feminist podcast is all about cultural taboos. Everything from sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, porn, mental health, shame, sexual harassment & more. Considered the biggest South Asian feminist podcast representing the voices & views of South Asian women, exploring intersectional feminism from a South Asian lens, Masala Podcast features some of the world's most inspiring South Asian women. Masala Podcast is the winner of multiple British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023. Masala Podcast has been featured in the Guardian, BBC Radio, the Observer, Evening Standard, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, Eastern Eye, Huffington Post, BBC Sounds, Brown Girl Magazine, Women’s Health Austria, Deccan Herald India & more.

  1. Stop waiting & start owning your pleasure

    JAN 24

    Stop waiting & start owning your pleasure

    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 empowerment. What We’re Unlocking Today: [02:15] Ending the Pleasure Gap: Why we’ve been conditioned to settle and how to raise your standards for joy.[05:40] Sexual Self-Care & Wellness: Reframing self-pleasure as a fundamental pillar of women’s health.[09:12] Anatomy & Awareness: Breaking through the mental blocks to reach your full sensual potential.[13:45] Practical Pleasure Exercises: A step-by-step guide to mirror work, somatic breathing, and sensory mapping.[17:20] Communicating Your Desires: How owning your joy on your own makes you more powerful in your relationships. Practical Takeaways: This episode is packed with practical intimacy tips and body-connection exercises. I’m sharing the exact tools I used to unlearn shame and reconnect with my erotic self. From pelvic floor awareness to mindful touch, this is the toolkit you didn't get in school. KEY TOPICS: Female Sexuality, Sexual Agency, Pleasure Ownership, Masturbation Taboos, South Asian Women, Somatic Pleasure, Orgasm Equality, Self-Discovery. Mentioned in this episode: The Anti-Retreat in tropical Kerala Real Kerala spirituality. Real sisterhood. No wellness BS. 8 Days, 7 Nights | 4-11 Feb 2026 | Kerala Backwaters Welcome to The Anti-Retreat. None of the usual yoga babes clutching “chai” lattes here! Just a real reatreat in a beautiful Kerala backwaters resort. You start and end your days with chanting and meditation in sync with the rhythms of Mother Nature. You soak up the energy of this bewitching land land with walking meditations, ancient Kerala rituals & visits to sacred goddess temples. You feast on traditional Kerala food. You connect deeper with yourself every day through a series of daily workshops. You connect with your sisters through a series of practises. The best bit? You connect with local women and women-led businesses (because your money supports them!) You’ll experience things that no tourist ever would. Are you ready?

    20 min
  2. 5 things you must know about Trauma Healing

    12/30/2025

    5 things you must know about Trauma Healing

    Trauma Healing: It's more than just therapyFor 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-edge" nervous system, and the realisation that "just talking about it" wasn't going to be enough to set me free. I’m walking you through my personal "healing map"—a journey that took me beyond the therapist’s couch and into the world of somatic and holistic recovery. I share what it really felt like to try: EMDR: Processing the memories that felt "stuck" in time.Craniosacral Therapy & Acupuncture: Finally learning how to let my body exhale and release the physical weight of stress.Hypnotherapy: Navigating the subconscious patterns we inherit from our culture and lineage.Tantra: Reclaiming my body as a place of pleasure and power, rather than just a place of survival. This isn't a "how-to" guide; it’s a my personal healing story. It’s an invitation for you to stop "coping" and start truly thriving. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself, or like you’re carrying a weight that isn’t yours to hold, this episode is for you. RESOURCES FOR THE THERAPIES I MENTION IN THIS PODCAST EPISODE EMDR: https://emdraa.org/emdr-resources/ https://www.traumatherapistinstitute.com/blog/Essential-Techniques-for-Effective-EMDR-Resourcing HYNOTHERAPY: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22676-hypnosis ACUPUNCTURE: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532287/ CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY: https://share.google/KQg4WcYwi1XZ8SPch TANTRA: https://somananda.org/tantra/ Topics covered on this podcast: South Asian Mental Health, Somatic Healing, Intergenerational Trauma, Inner Child Work, EMDR Therapy, Tantra for Healing, Holistic Recovery, Nervous System Regulation, Feminist Podcast.

    23 min
  3. Mothers & Daughters: Heal The Wound, Break the Cycle

    12/18/2025

    Mothers & Daughters: Heal The Wound, Break the Cycle

    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 wound. In this episode, we peel back the layers of the most influential relationship in a woman’s life: the one with her mother/daughter. We go deep into the "Mother Wound"—the intergenerational pain passed down through lineages of women particularly South Asian women—and explore how cultural pressures can turn love into a burden. From the weight of "log kya kahenge" (what will people say) to the silent sacrifices our mothers made, we discuss why this relationship often feels like a tug-of-war between loyalty and liberation. Inside this episode, we explore:Our emotional triggers: Why the mother-daughter dynamic is uniquely fraught with emotional triggers and high stakes.How we inherit trauma: How we unconsciously carry the unhealed wounds, anxieties, and societal limitations of the women who came before us.The "Bad Daughter" Narrative: Reclaiming your identity when setting boundaries feels like a betrayal.How to Heal: Actionable insights on how to break the cycle of trauma, practice radical empathy, and forge a new path toward reconciliation or self-peace. Whether you are navigating a strained relationship, grieving a connection you never had, or trying to ensure you don’t pass the same patterns to your own children, this conversation is a vital step toward emotional freedom. We’re talking about the trauma we inherit without asking for it, and how to set boundaries without feeling like a "bad daughter." It’s time to stop the cycle. 🛑 Enjoyed my book extract? Here's where you can buy my book Bad Daughter: https://baddaughter.co.uk/about/ Join me on my women only "Anti-Retreat" in tropical Kerala: https://baddaughter.co.uk/kerala-retreats/ Mentioned in this episode: The Anti-Retreat in tropical Kerala Real Kerala spirituality. Real sisterhood. No wellness BS. 8 Days, 7 Nights | 4-11 Feb 2026 | Kerala Backwaters Welcome to The Anti-Retreat. None of the usual yoga babes clutching “chai” lattes here! Just a real reatreat in a beautiful Kerala backwaters resort. You start and end your days with chanting and meditation in sync with the rhythms of Mother Nature. You soak up the energy of this bewitching land land with walking meditations, ancient Kerala rituals & visits to sacred goddess temples. You feast on traditional Kerala food. You connect deeper with yourself every day through a series of daily workshops. You connect with your sisters through a series of practises. The best bit? You connect with local women and women-led businesses (because your money supports them!) You’ll experience things that no tourist ever would. Are you ready?

    18 min

  4. 12/04/2025

    Good Girl or Bad Daughter: who are you?

    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 ready? I was taught so many rules about being the "good daughter": Don't speak too loudly.Don't take up space.Don't question elders.Don't prioritise your dreams.Don't, don't, don't. It's not just in South Asian culture, women in every culture are taught to be a good girlfriend, a good sister, a good wife, good colleague and so on. HOW DOES THIS GOOD GIRL IDEA AFFECT US? Women grow up in a world that teaches us to shrink ourselves, to make ourselves smaller in order to be more palatable to everyone else. Here are some stats: 56% of women feel pressure to be likeable versus 36% of men.65% women feel that being liked is core to their character.'50% of all women say they hold back their true opinions to be liked35% of women try to “smile more” to be liked Source: Good Girls Report © Good Shout Community 2025 WHAT PRACTICAL STEPS CAN YOU TAKE? It feels like an uphill battle but there are things you can do. We start by going to the source of where our beliefs where shaped. Take a piece of paper and write a few things down: What "good daughter" rules did you learn growing up? Which of these rules still influence your choices today? What price have you paid for following these rules? What dreams, desires, or parts of yourself have you set aside to remain "good"? Now choose ONE "good daughter" rule that you're ready to question. Write it down on a piece of paper, exactly as you learnt it. For example: "Good daughters always ………. Here comes the fun bit: tear that paper up and see how good it feels! WANT MORE? CHECK OUT MY BOOK BAD DAUGHTER I was called a “Bad Daughter” for defying the rigid expectations placed on “good Indian girls.” But in my rebellion, I found my voice. Nothing could stop me. Not a harrowing childhood in a Mumbai slum, not my father’s violence, not even my mother’s brutal violence. With a fire in my belly, I battled patriarchy, built a new life in London, creating a successful podcast & platform to inspire other women to find their own freedom. I also went on a massive healing journey with psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, EMDR, acupuncture to Tantra as well as going back to my roots in tropical temples in Kerala (I share all the details in my book!) Bad Daughter is a feminist story of resilience and unapologetic survival as well as a rousing, inspiring invitation to go after your dreams. BUY ON...

    17 min

  5. 12/19/2024

    Tantra & Kamasutra: It's not about sex positions

    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 Sexuality Shaman Amba Kahly and Kamasutra Expert Seema Anand. They will teach you ancient Indian pleasure secrets & how to use your sacred sexuality to enrich every area of life. On this podcast, you'll learn Three Sensual Meditation techniques: 1) The Jingling Girdle mediation 2) The Sensual Chocolate meditation 3) The Full Body Tantra meditation. You’ll learn how to unlock your body’s natural pleasure channels. Top tip: keep a square of chocolate handy for this interactive meditation session. No, it's just about Tantric Sex or about about Kamasutra positions. Or just about having sex. Explore the power of pleasure and learn how to tap into own your own body’s innate sensuality. Hint: it’s not about Kamasutra positions. Ready? Get set to feel all tingly & amp up your pleasure in this live and interactive episode of Masala Podcast. Mentioned in this episode: Inspiring feminist memoir Bad Daughter Bad Daughter is my story of going from Mumbai’s slums to New York’s Billboards, with a healing stopover in Kerala. But it’s your story too. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter what happened to you. You still get to have the life you want. That's the message of this book. My memoir Bad Daughter is deeply personal. I talk about growing up in poverty. I talk about my father’s violence, my mother’s murder. I talk about how I turned my pain into power, navigating mental health, sexuality, spirituality & patriarchy. If you’re looking for a book to move you and inspire you to change your own life, buy this book on Amazon: https://shorturl.at/TDC7g. Or buy directly on my website: https://baddaughter.co.uk/about/ Bad Daughter is an essential feminist book, this inspirational memoir is for every woman who wants to break free. This powerful memoir is a reminder that the courage to be your authentic self can transform your own life – and the lives of those around you.

    1h 15m

  6. 12/05/2024

    Feminism: can I ask a man to fix my mice problem?

    "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 when I mouse dared to come into my bedroom. I talk about wanting a man to come sort out the mouse for me. I ask the question: can you be a strong feminist and still ask for help? This is the latest episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today. Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow. More about Masala Podcast: https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/ Mentioned in this episode: Inspiring feminist memoir Bad Daughter Bad Daughter is my story of going from Mumbai’s slums to New York’s Billboards, with a healing stopover in Kerala. But it’s your story too. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter what happened to you. You still get to have the life you want. That's the message of this book. My memoir Bad Daughter is deeply personal. I talk about growing up in poverty. I talk about my father’s violence, my mother’s murder. I talk about how I turned my pain into power, navigating mental health, sexuality, spirituality & patriarchy. If you’re looking for a book to move you and inspire you to change your own life, buy this book on Amazon: https://shorturl.at/TDC7g. Or buy directly on my website: https://baddaughter.co.uk/about/ Bad Daughter is an essential feminist book, this inspirational memoir is for every woman who wants to break free. This powerful memoir is a reminder that the courage to be your authentic self can transform your own life – and the lives of those around you.

    11 min

  7. 10/24/2024

    Belonging & Identity: South Asians, where is home?

    "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 - and wondering about where was home? It started me thinking about where we, as immigrants, feels at home. In this episode, I share how I never quite fit in - whether in India where I spent most of my life or in the UK where I've now spent close to two decades. This is the latest episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today. Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow. More about Masala Podcast: https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/ Mentioned in this episode: Inspiring feminist memoir Bad Daughter Bad Daughter is my story of going from Mumbai’s slums to New York’s Billboards, with a healing stopover in Kerala. But it’s your story too. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter what happened to you. You still get to have the life you want. That's the message of this book. My memoir Bad Daughter is deeply personal. I talk about growing up in poverty. I talk about my father’s violence, my mother’s murder. I talk about how I turned my pain into power, navigating mental health, sexuality, spirituality & patriarchy. If you’re looking for a book to move you and inspire you to change your own life, buy this book on Amazon: https://shorturl.at/TDC7g. Or buy directly on my website: https://baddaughter.co.uk/about/ Bad Daughter is an essential feminist book, this inspirational memoir is for every woman who wants to break free. This powerful memoir is a reminder that the courage to be your authentic self can transform your own life – and the lives of those around you.

    12 min

  8. 10/10/2024

    Feminism & Resting: South Asian women, let's reclaim rest

    "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 South Asian women in particular feel this guilt and inability to really relax. So many women find resting so difficult, because patriarchy and capitalism have us stuck on an endless productivity treadmill. This feminist podcast is here to tell you that resting is a feminist act. Resting is about preventing burnout. Resting is about self love. Are you exhausted by the endless to-do lists in your own life? Are you knackered but unable to really, deeply rest? If so, you'll love listening to this feminist podcast episode. MASALA PODCAST UNFILTERED This is the second episode of my new season called Masala Podcast Unfiltered. Where I, your host Sangeet Pillai, will be more raw, more unfiltered. I want to explore the usual Masala Podcast themes: from South Asian women, feminism, motherhood, sex, patriarchy, menopause, bodies, mental health and much more. These short episodes will go deep and personal, using a rich story telling format. Expect evocative stories, taboo topics and thoughtful musings that ask deep questions about what it means to be a South Asian feminist today. Masala Podcast has won 6 British Podcast Awards, 1 Audio Production Award & the Spotify SoundUp 2018 award. Also featured on giant billboards in New York, London, Dublin, Cardiff & Glasgow. More about Masala Podcast: https://www.soulsutras.co.uk/about-masala-podcast/ Mentioned in this episode: Inspiring feminist memoir Bad Daughter Bad Daughter is my story of going from Mumbai’s slums to New York’s Billboards, with a healing stopover in Kerala. But it’s your story too. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter what happened to you. You still get to have the life you want. That's the message of this book. My memoir Bad Daughter is deeply personal. I talk about growing up in poverty. I talk about my father’s violence, my mother’s murder. I talk about how I turned my pain into power, navigating mental health, sexuality, spirituality & patriarchy. If you’re looking for a book to move you and inspire you to change your own life, buy this book on Amazon: https://shorturl.at/TDC7g. Or buy directly on my website: https://baddaughter.co.uk/about/ Bad Daughter is an essential feminist book, this inspirational memoir is for every woman who wants to break free. This powerful memoir is a reminder that the courage to be your authentic self can transform your own life – and the lives of those around you.

    15 min
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About

This multi-award-winning South Asian feminist podcast is all about cultural taboos. Everything from sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, porn, mental health, shame, sexual harassment & more. Considered the biggest South Asian feminist podcast representing the voices & views of South Asian women, exploring intersectional feminism from a South Asian lens, Masala Podcast features some of the world's most inspiring South Asian women. Masala Podcast is the winner of multiple British Podcast Awards 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023. Masala Podcast has been featured in the Guardian, BBC Radio, the Observer, Evening Standard, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, Eastern Eye, Huffington Post, BBC Sounds, Brown Girl Magazine, Women’s Health Austria, Deccan Herald India & more.

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