Tanika Gupta MBE
DOB - DOD
1 December 1963
Home Town
London, England
Stage Debut
1995
Tanika Gupta is a British playwright and screenwriter known for her exploration of identity, migration, and cultural conflict. Born in London to Bengali parents, Gupta’s upbringing was shaped by her family’s political activism and involvement in the Indian Independence movement. This deep connection to both her British and Indian heritage informs much of her writing, which often addresses race, gender, and the immigrant experience.
Gupta studied Modern History at Oxford University before pursuing a career in writing. Her work frequently explores the intersection of personal and political narratives. Her plays at the Royal Court Theatre include Sugar Mummies (2006), which examines power, race, and sexual politics, and The Waiting Room (2000), which intertwines themes of tradition, modernity, and the immigrant experience.
Gupta’s writing is marked by its strong social conscience and ability to capture the voices of those often marginalised in mainstream narratives.
Gupta spoke to Simon Stephens in S1 Ep12 of Playwright’s Podcast.
Works by Tanika Gupta MBE FRSL
Flight 5065
2005Joe Penhall , Simon Stephens , Anthony Neilson , Lucy Prebble , David Eldridge , Robin French , Ramin Gray , Debbie Tucker Green , Jason Hall , Dawn King , Chloe Moss , Christopher Rodriguez , James Wilton , Laura Wade , Alexi Zegerman
Playwright at Your Table
2013Alexi Kaye Campbell , Brad Birch , Caryl Churchill , David Eldridge , Dennis Kelly , Hayley Squires , James Graham , John Donnelly , Laura Wade , Leo Butler , Mike Bartlett , Moira Buffini , Nick Payne , Penelope Skinner , Philip Ridley , Richard Bean , Robert Holman , Simon Stephens , Stephen Jeffreys , Timberlake Wertenbaker
Children's Monologues
2015Children Growing up in Rammulotsi , James Graham , Tanika Gupta MBE , Sir David Hare , Amy Jephta , Neil LaBute , Napo Masheane , Eliot Moleba , Mongiwekhaya , Jack Thorne , Laura Wade , Richard Warlow , Roy Williams OBE FRSL