“Didn’t have 12,000 rupees to pay the cook, closed five shops in two months”

Veteran actress Neena Gupta's daughter, fashion designer and entrepreneur Masaba opened up about her financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. In one of her recent interviews, Masaba also revealed that she had no money to pay her cook during the lockdown as her fashion business was on the verge of closure.

Speaking to Faye D'Souza, Masaba, who is expecting her first child, said, “It was the worst time of my life. I don't think I even had Rs 12,000 to pay my cook. That's how bad it was. In March 2020, the lockdown happened and we thought it would only be for a day or two, but then it was extended to 14 days. In those 14 days, my life changed completely. I think it was late March or early April when my business boss said, 'There is no money now. It's over. Nobody is buying anything.'”

Masaba added, “I remember crying after every call. My business manager was confident, he was sure something would work out. But we closed five stores in two months. Some were franchises. Some were corporate. I think I had about Rs 200,000 in the bank account. So we thought we'll stick with it, keep making masks, stay focused and limit our losses.”

Masaba was born out of wedlock to Neena and former West Indian cricketer Vivian Richards. She is now expecting her first child with husband Satyadeep Mishra. The two married in January 2023 and announced their pregnancy in April this year.

Masaba owns the clothing line House of Masaba and the cosmetics label LoveChild.

Founded in 2009, House of Masaba offers contemporary fashion with a quirky twist. Last year, Masaba also launched a bridal line.

Masaba also started her own show called “Masaba Masaba” on streaming giant Netflix, where she talked about her personal life and business.