Her Qayanaat in Masaba Masaba Season 2 was a riot, a project that made her feel “good and confident, internally”. Calcutta girl Kareema Barry. The content creator and now an actor, with 1.3 million followers on Instagram, was in Calcutta recently and shot a The Telegraph exclusive that put her in touch with her “Calcutta self”, one that made the photoshoot conceptualised and styled by Pushpak Sen, “unique”. Post-shoot, we caught up with Kareema.
What is Kareema Barry’s fashion like? I actually don’t experiment that much with fusion looks and I have never seen myself in so many different outfits and attires. I have experimented with colours before but not with a lot of jewellery or haven’t really thought of accessories as the star of the outfit before.
Which was your favourite look?
Personally, I loved the sari. I felt like a princess and felt like I was entering a rajbari and was standing there in my courtyard. I felt beautiful. The house in which you shot also brought back memories...
Pushpak Sen
I wanted to go for a modern-day chic Bengali girl aesthetic with Kareema, trying to break free from the otherwise bubbly personality that she gives off on her social media. I wanted to highlight her elegant and poised side, which I think is synonymous with the spirit of Calcutta as a whole.
I chose Barrister Babu-r Bari as the location because it gives off that charm of an old-world Calcutta home. It is aesthetic. It is spacious and it has a heritage pedigree. I strongly believe we should support such properties which are trying their best to withstand the test of time and not get sold off to some corporate promoter only to turn their ruins into posh apartments — Pushpak Sen
Pushpak described this one as the “Princess shrug look”. Layers of traditional jewellery worn with a dress. #SoCool Outfit: Sienna Store, Hindustan Park
We used to live in a house like that long back... I left Calcutta after school. I studied at Hindu College (Delhi University). My parents stay in Calcutta. I will never miss December in Calcutta. I obviously miss it since it’s home... the food and the culture. I really miss the people. You can tell when a person is from Calcutta. I miss the feeling of familiarity. I keep talking about Calcutta too. Everyone’s tired of it! (Laughs) I shifted to Mumbai a year back.
Kareema’s favourite look from the shoot was one of minimal charm, the small black bindi adding a contemporary touch. Sari: Ira Label
What has your Mumbai journey been like? How has life changed post Masaba Masaba Season 2?
Some days are overwhelming as they are with any new big city and some days are fulfilling. After Masaba Masaba, internally I felt good and confident. This was one of my biggest dreams, maybe something I haven’t verbalised before. It was nice to be known also as an actor and just have the opportunity to interact with so many creative and cool people. I studied literature. So, storytelling is something I have always been interested in. And even auditioning for other things has been fab.
I was never shy of performing. That’s the one place I have always felt comfortable and calm in.
Culottes + cropped top + jacket, for work. And, accessorise right for an evening after. #Mix&Match Outfit: Sienna Store, Hindustan Park
What was Masaba Gupta like?
She was so welcoming. She is ambitious, smart, intelligent, beautiful and poised.
Coming back to Calcutta, what do you think is the DNA of the city?
I think it’s two things. Art and familiarity. I feel there is an innate love for all forms of art. We also enjoy familiarity.... We just love to keep going back to Bar-B-Qs and Mocambos. We like to preserve our buildings and high roofs.