She is known for playing Auntie Satya in the long-running radio soap The Archers, Jamila Ranjha in Mind Your Language, and Sanjay Kapoor's mother Neelam in EastEnders.
Massey's mother refused to allow her to attend drama school after the death of her father, so she was forced to use subterfuge to fulfil her acting ambitions.
(1960), where she was used to translate and report a news section from the film into Urdu — announcing the sinking of the British battleship HMS Hood.
[1] Roles for Asian actors were scarce during her early career, but she was given parts in series such as Crossroads (1964); Within These Walls (1976); The Next Man (1976); Z-Cars (1976–1977); Target (1977); Mind Your Language (1977–79); Play for Today (1977, 1978); Empire Road (1979); Angels (1981); Minder (1982); The Jewel in the Crown (1984); The Bill (1984); Albion Market (1985); Chance in a Million (1986); Madame Sousatzka (1988); Great Balls of Fire!
In the mid-1990s she was cast as the recurring character Auntie Satya in Radio 4's daily agricultural soap opera, The Archers, fulfilling one of her life's ambitions.
Other acting credits include Arabian Nights (2000); Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (2001); Perfect World (2001); Doctors (2002); All About Me (2003); Chicken Tikka Masala (2005).