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Meera Syal: The Thing That Made Me Lonely IS My Superpower

Meera Syal: The Thing That Made Me Lonely IS My Superpower

Sisters of Defiance
May 26, 2026 1h 14m
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About this episode

<p>Dame Meera Syal has graced our screens, bookshelves, and stages for decades - but behind the wit, brilliance, and groundbreaking work is a woman who has spent her life quietly and powerfully defying expectations.</p><br><p>In the very first episode of Sisters of Defiance, Anita sits down with Meera to talk about identity, ambition, belonging, and what it meant to grow up feeling caught between cultures while trying to forge a path that didn’t yet exist for women like her. From the creation of Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No. 42 to navigating a divorce in a culture which views it as deeply shameful, Meera reflects on the highs, the challenges, the moments that shaped her voice, and all the work still to come. If you can’t be what you can’t see, thank god Anita saw Meera aged 14. This one is personal.</p><br><p>If you enjoyed the show, follow us at…</p><p>Instagram - @sistersofdefiance</p><p>Anita - @itsanitarani</p><p>Meera - @meera.syal</p><br><p>Subscribe to us on YouTube - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/@AnitaRaniExplores" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.youtube.com/@AnitaRaniExplores</a></p><br><p>And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: hello@sistersofdefiance.com</p><br><p>Sisters of Defiance is nourished by Ancient &amp; Brave</p><p>https://ancientandbrave.earth/pages/planet&nbsp;</p><br><p>Presented by Anita Rani</p><p>Producer: Flossie Barratt</p><p>Technical Producer / Editor: Will Gibson Smith</p><p>Social Media Manager: Anna Richmond</p><p>Sisters of Defiance is an Illuminaunty production.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

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