Fashion Designer and Actor Masaba Gupta opened up about the self-imposed pressure of living up to her father Viv Richards' sporting legacy during a candid conversation on Sania Mirza's talk show "Serving It Up With Sania", which aired on Tuesday. The 36-year-old, known for her eponymous label House of Masaba and her acting debut in the web series "Made in Heaven", revealed how her childhood admiration for the cricket icon influenced her brief foray into tennis, despite no external expectations being placed on her. Richards, the legendary Antiguan batsman who captained the West Indies to World Cup glory in 1979 and amassed over 8,500 Test runs, remains one of cricket's most revered figures, and Masaba admitted she internalised the need to honour his achievements in athletics.

Reflecting on her early years, Masaba shared that she was captivated by her father's independence, physical fitness, and mental resilience, aspiring to embody a version of those qualities through sports. "I felt like I had to carry the legacy of sport forward in the family. Nobody put it on me, but I just thought so," she told Mirza, the six-time Grand Slam winner. Masaba's journey in tennis began as a way to channel that inspiration, but the comparisons to her father's unparalleled success proved overwhelming. She described persisting through the setbacks, driven by a determination to improve, even as she grappled with the emotional toll of constant scrutiny.

The turning point came during a state-level match attended by Richards, where Masaba suffered a crushing defeat that left her devastated as a "sore loser". "When I went on there, it was like, 'You're just not as good as your father,'" she recounted, highlighting the unspoken weight of expectations. Despite the struggles, Masaba credited tennis with profound life lessons, teaching her to redirect anger, aggression, and frustration into productive outlets—skills that have since fuelled her entrepreneurial success as a solo founder in the competitive fashion industry. Mirza, empathising deeply, noted how sports build resilience and shared her own concerns about her son Izhaan facing similar pressures as he grows older.

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Masaba's revelations underscore the challenges of growing up in the shadow of global stardom, a theme echoed in her public persona that blends bold creativity with vulnerability. From launching her prêt line in 2009 to embracing motherhood in 2022 with son Zaavi, she has carved a distinct path, often drawing on her multicultural heritage—born to Richards and actress Neena Gupta—for artistic inspiration. The episode not only humanises the star kid narrative but also celebrates the transformative power of sports beyond victory, resonating with audiences navigating their own legacies of excellence.

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