Cyrus Says

From the Cyrus Says archives: we’re revisiting this 2023 conversation with actor, writer and filmmaker Kunal Kemmu.

Kunal and Cyrus go back years, from an old Surf Ultra ad and an unforgettable MTV Bakra prank to working together on 99. Naturally, that means this episode comes packed with embarrassing stories before they get anywhere near the serious questions.

Kunal looks back at becoming a child actor, working with Aamir Khan at a young age, choosing acting over a conventional academic path, and making the difficult transition from child performer to adult actor.

He also tal...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Harleen Sethi joins Cyrus Broacha to talk about her new kidnapping thriller called, 'Shaque: Trust No One', which is now available on Netflix.
She also talks about her unconventional journey into acting, and everything that happened before Broken But Beautiful made her a familiar face. Harleen talks about being among the top students at Mumbai University, paying for MBA classes and then leaving that path after receiving a dance scholarship. What started with ballet and dance eventually led to advertisements, including major campaigns, before an audition...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Rajeev Masand joins Cyrus Broacha for a conversation about his journey from being one of India’s best-known film critics to working on the other side of Bollywood with Dharma and helping actors navigate scripts, films and their careers.Rajeev talks about why he walked away from film criticism, how Karan Johar convinced him to make the switch, what really goes into choosing scripts for actors, and some of the bizarre requests and realities that come with managing major stars.  

The conversation also goes into how...

Comedian Punit Pania joins Cyrus Broacha for another chaotic edition of Cock & Bull, where Mumbai life, festivals, relationships, politics and the week’s strangest stories collide.

The conversation kicks off with Ganpati season, Mumbai’s ever-expanding traffic hierarchy and the idea of Lalbaugcha Raja getting a Delhi “franchise.” Cyrus and Punit then get into crackers, Mumbai’s trains and metros, marriage, reality TV, comedians and the dangers of spending three uninterrupted days with your spouse.

Things get even stranger when they discover a man offering himself as a Garba partner for rent, with packages starting at ₹1,000...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, actor Aksharaa Haasan, daughter of Kamal Haasan, joins Cyrus Broacha to talk about her film Simulacra, her journey in the entertainment industry, and how technology is changing the way we live and connect.Aksharaa explains the idea behind 'Simulacra', a world where technology, artificial intelligence, reality and fantasy begin to blur. She also talks about growing up in a famous film family, finding her own creative path, starting out as a dancer and choreographer, and eventually moving into acting.

The conversation also gets personal as...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, actor Mihir Ahuja joins Cyrus Broacha after the success of Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar.Mihir talks about playing Baldy, a real-life Indian Air Force officer, and how he was locked for the role just 48 hours before shooting. He also shares what it was like sitting inside actual MiGs connected to the Kargil War, learning the technical side of a fighter pilot’s world, and taking on the responsibility of playing a real person.  

The conversation also goes back to his journey from Jamshedpur to Mumba...

Joel D’Souza came to promote Dear Diary and accidentally gave us enough material for a financial investigation.

He tells Cyrus how he became a TCS employee without bothering with the minor formality of actually working at TCS, performed on a boat while his audience slowly disappeared, and watched Bumrah take over his show during an India–Pakistan match. Honestly, the projector had a stronger set.

They also discuss Baba Ramdev, Freddie Mercury, terrible gigs, credit cards, India–Pakistan sportsmanship and Joel’s suspicious enthusiasm for solo holidays.

Watch the full episode on the Cyru...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Pratik Gandhi join Cyrus Broacha to talk about their new film Ghamasaan, an action-packed crime drama set around the rugged world of Chitrakoot and Bundelkhand.

Tigmanshu talks about giving Ghamasaan the feel of a classic Western, why he didn’t want a stereotypical muscular cop as his hero, and how Arshad Warsi ended up playing one of the film’s most menacing characters. Pratik opens up about playing a gun-wielding STF officer for the first time and a character who slowly realizes that...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, author Akshay Chavan joins Cyrus Broacha to talk about his new book, The Wealth Networks, and a side of Indian history shaped by trade, geography and commerce.
Akshay talks about how ancient India was connected to the world through spices, cotton, gold, silver, horses and major trade routes.
He also gets into the Golconda diamond mines, Bihar’s role in the global saltpeter and gunpowder trade, and how places like Paithan, Bharuch, Sopara, Hormuz and Mangalore became important trading centres.
The conversation also covers Ha...

Shamik Chakrabarti returns to Cyrus Says after performing across Europe and Australia, with stories about international comedy audiences, Melbourne’s little penguins and life on tour.

Cyrus and Shamik then move through a suitably unpredictable collection of stories: AI replacing workers and potentially CEOs, Bengal and Durga Puja, Navratri memories, Indian politics, population numbers, restaurant inspections, Liverpool fandom, unusual international competitions and Cyrus’ story about working with Preity Zinta.

Shamik also plugs his upcoming India tour before Cyrus ends the episode by turning the interview into an interrogation about his dating life.

It’s trav...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Kushal Shrivastava, Abhijeet Singh Parmar and Nikhil Ravi, the makers of Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar, join Cyrus Broacha to talk about recreating the Indian Air Force’s role in the Kargil War.

Kushal, who served in the Indian Air Force, along with Abhijeet and Nikhil, share how the series grew from an idea into a nearly five-year project. The team researched the Golden Arrows squadron, spoke to fighter pilots, veterans and families, and recreated intense MiG-21 missions, including bombing operations at extreme altitudes.

T...

Before Ishwak Singh became Imran Ansari in Paatal Lok and Dr Vikram Sarabhai in Rocket Boys, he was an architect designing schools, hotels and even his own house. He was also doing unpaid theatre in Delhi and appearing in film montages that his own friends struggled to spot.

In this episode of Cyrus Says, Ishwak talks about leaving architecture for acting, his blink-and-miss appearances in Raanjhanaa and Tamasha, learning from Manoj Bajpayee on Aligarh and finally finding his breakthrough with Paatal Lok.

He also reveals how Made in Heaven changed his dating life, teaches Cyrus...

Comedian Aakash Mehta joins Cyrus Broacha for another chaotic edition of Cock & Bull with Cyrus, covering everything from shampoo smuggling and European tour logistics to comedy controversies, Test cricket and Indian politics.

Aakash talks about travelling to London, Oslo and Amsterdam, carrying suspiciously specific gifts for friends abroad, and why Indians inevitably become international couriers for snacks, shampoo and other home comforts.

The conversation then turns to Samay Raina and India’s Got Latent, with Cyrus and Aakash debating outrage, offensive comedy and why making jokes about cultural differences can sometimes bring people closer rather th...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, legendary lyricist Mehboob joins Cyrus Broacha to look back at the stories behind some of the most memorable music of the ’90s and 2000s.Mehboob talks about how meeting Ram Gopal Varma changed his career, waiting two years before finally getting the call for Rangeela, and beginning a long creative partnership with A.R. Rahman. He shares what it was like writing through the night in Chennai, how Rahman reacts to words and phonetics, and why writing lyrics is very different from writing poetry.  

He als...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, automotive journalist Cyrus Dhabhar joins Cyrus Broacha for a full-throttle conversation about cars, speed, EVs, hybrids and the madness of driving in India.

Cyrus Dhabhar talks about growing up in a motoring family, how his father helped develop the Mahindra Thar, his own collection of 12 cars, and his journey through Autocar, ZigWheels, NDTV and Top Gear India. He also breaks down whether EVs are actually better than petrol cars, why hybrids could be a great option in India, and names some of the best cars...

Comedian Punit Pania joins Cyrus for another chaotic edition of Cock & Bull, where political commentary, terrible jokes and the absurdities of everyday India collide.

The episode begins with Cyrus revealing that his wife has blamed Punit for the increasingly questionable humour on the podcast, forcing Punit to defend his reputation as a “clean” political comic. From there, the conversation moves through Indian politics, the Modi Chalisa event at Delhi’s Press Club, Vande Mataram, standing ovations, Mumbai street food and the crackdown on food colouring.

Punit and Cyrus also get into Gen Z work culture, after...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Ruhee Dosani talks about her journey from working regular jobs in the US to becoming one of India’s biggest digital creators and a finalist on Alliance. She opens up about moving to the US at 17, working at Dunkin’ Donuts, Amazon and in tech, and how creating videos during COVID unexpectedly changed her life.

Ruhee shares how Diljit Dosanjh reposting one of her early videos gave her a major push, eventually leading to collaborations with Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. She also talks abou...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, casting director, actor and creator Karan Mally joins Cyrus Broacha for a hilarious conversation about what really happens behind the scenes of Bollywood casting.

Karan talks about working on projects like The Archies, Gully Boy, Made in Heaven, Dahaad and The Ba**ds of Bollywood, and explains how actors are auditioned, shortlisted, rejected and sometimes called back several times before finally landing a role. He also reveals what it was like working with Aryan Khan, who had a clear vision for even the smallest characters...

On this episode of Cyrus Says: Cock & Bull, Cyrus Broacha is joined by Shantanu Anam for a characteristically unfiltered conversation that moves from male grooming and home haircuts to Bollywood, Indian podcast culture, music rivalries and everything in between.

Shantanu explains the surprisingly elaborate grooming routine he gets at home, before the conversation spirals into impressions of Ranveer Allahbadia and Raj Shamani, the strange language of hustle culture, and what exactly the Cyrus Says podcast would look like if it suddenly became serious.

The duo also dive into films and pop culture, discussing Awarapan, Emraan...

Cybersecurity expert, author and IIT Kharagpur graduate Amit Dubey joins Cyrus Broacha on Cyrus Says for a hilarious and fascinating conversation about hacking, cybercrime, online scams and the mindset of young hackers.

Amit takes us back to his IIT days, when an experiment involving a cloned Yahoo login page got him barred from the computer lab, before a professor recognised his skills and introduced him to ethical hacking and network security.

The conversation moves from legendary hackers and teenage cyber prodigies to one of India’s most alarming online frauds: the “digital arrest” scam. Amit breaks...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Sikandar Kher joins Cyrus Broacha for a hilarious and wide-ranging conversation about films, family, golf, friendships and his journey through the entertainment industry.Sikandar talks about his recent run of projects, including Monkey Man, Citadel, Ikkis, Glory and his upcoming work. He recalls getting the rare opportunity to drive a T-72 tank while shooting Ikkis, discusses working internationally and shares why he jumped at the chance to work with the Wachowskis on Sense8.  

The conversation also gets personal as Sikandar talks about his long friendship w...

Varun Thakur joins Cyrus Broacha on Cyrus Says for a freewheeling conversation packed with comedy, everyday absurdities, Mumbai-style chaos and plenty of unexpected detours.

From the very beginning, Cyrus and Varun bounce between stories, jokes and observations with almost no regard for staying on topic. One particularly memorable tangent involves living 17 floors up, a lift that refuses to cooperate and the awkward economics of ordering food when the delivery person has to make the climb.

The conversation eventually moves into cricket, with Cyrus and Varun trading opinions, jokes and the kind of sporting banter that qu...

What will Indian cities look like in 2035? More cars, more traffic and more pollution, or cleaner, safer and easier to move around?

On this episode of Cyrus Says, Cyrus Broacha speaks with Amit Bhatt, who leads the India work at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), about the future of mobility in India.

Amit breaks down why electric vehicles are gaining momentum, whether EV range and charging anxiety are justified, why housing societies need to rethink charging infrastructure, and what India can learn from countries such as Norway, China and Nepal.

The...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Poonam Pandey joins Cyrus for an unfiltered conversation about her journey, controversies and the viral moments that have defined her public image.

She opens up about how she entered the entertainment industry, recalling a difficult upbringing in the slums and the struggles she faced before making her way into modelling and show business. Poonam reflects on how different her real journey has been from the image people associate with her, and says that the struggle behind her rise has been far more serious than most...

Comedian and entrepreneur Aakash Mehta joins Cyrus Broacha for a chaotic conversation spanning stand-up comedy, marriage, politics, sport and life on tour.

Aakash explains why his comedy has become less angry, how marriage and therapy may have changed his writing, and why audiences now expect more than profanity and easy shock value. He also discusses performing for international audiences, including English-language comedy shows in Norway, and meeting fans who have followed his work across cities and different stages of their lives.

The conversation moves into student protests, political movements, freedom of expression, media accountability and...

Actor, theatre artist, writer and performer Gopal Datt joins Cyrus Broacha for a chaotic reunion filled with old stories, friendly insults and theatrical disasters.

Gopal talks about his podcast Pehla Pehla, where guests revisit important first experiences from their lives, and explains why stories of first flights, performances, paycheques and journeys from smaller cities deserve to be remembered.

The conversation also returns to Gopal and Cyrus’s long association on The Week That Wasn’t. They recall improvised sketches, makeup battles, disappearing accents, Kunal Vijaykar’s unique working style and the complete lack of seriousness that m...

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On this episode of Cyrus Says, Tushar Kumar, CEO of OML, and Prerana Khatri, CBO of OML, reveal how the company grew from representing independent musicians to becoming a major force across comedy, creators, branded content, production and sports entertainment. They explain what OML looks for in new talent, how artists are discovered and why collaboration between a creator and their manager matters so much.

They also talk about the rise of Indian stand-up comedy, OML’s journey with NH7 Weekender, producing over 70 shows for streaming platforms, Zakir Khan’s international succ...

Stand-up comedian Punit Pania joins Cyrus Broacha for a chaotic, sharp and deeply funny conversation about political protests, Mumbai life and the everyday absurdities of modern India.

Fresh from attending the protest at Shivaji Park, Punit shares what he witnessed on the ground, how the gathering grew and what happened when the police began detaining participants, including fellow comedians. Cyrus and Punit discuss the importance of dissent, media coverage of protests, political communication, celebrity reactions and the sudden wave of political content across social media.

Naturally, the conversation repeatedly returns to Punit’s true area of...

Shailendra Singh came to talk about his book. Instead, we got Sunburn, YouTube India, Salman Khan’s hair, IPL history and Cyrus trying to find a sponsor somewhere in the wreckage.

Shailendra looks back at the early Sunburn days, including YouTube’s ₹3.25 crore broadcast deal, and explains how the festival helped push live streaming in India before everyone became a creator. The chat then drifts into cricketainment, Lalit Modi, self-help, Bollywood and the urgent question of whether Cyrus can still save his hairline.

Basically, one guest, ten industries and absolutely no chance of staying on topic...

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In this episode of Cyrus Says, Farhad Samji joins Cyrus to share his journey from arriving in Mumbai with 350 songs to becoming one of Bollywood’s most recognised writers and directors. He talks about his early struggles, meeting Salman Khan, working with Ram Gopal Varma and Rohit Shetty, writing for Golmaal, Chennai Express and Singham, and the story behind the iconic line “Aata Majhi Satakli.” 

Farhad also opens up about his bond with Johnny Lever, how he writes comedy for big stars, and the pressure of working on popular franchises such as Golm...

Akanksha and Shantanu came to discuss sensible things. We put a stop to that immediately.

There’s FIFA possibly protecting Messi, Ram Kapoor versus Kushal Tandon, wedding gossip, weight loss, reality TV and enough incorrect information to comfortably run a news channel.

Nobody learns anything. Cyrus talks too much. Standard episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Award-winning Indian classical vocalist Mahesh Kale joins Cyrus Broacha for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about music, career choices, spirituality and sport.

Mahesh shares how growing up around bhajans and classical music in Pune shaped his musical instincts, even as he followed the conventional path of studying engineering. He recalls the emotional encounter during his master’s programme in America that pushed him to reconsider a Silicon Valley career and give music his full attention.

He also talks about supporting himself through teaching, working in Marathi musical theatre, performing in Katyar Kaljat Ghusali and re...

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In this episode, Cyrus sits down with Girish Talwar and Debayan Deb, founder and co-founder of Rebellion Management, for a fascinating conversation about India’s independent music movement, artist management, live events, creator culture, and how entertainment businesses are actually built from the ground up. Girish reflects on his journey from law school and playing bass in Zero to helping shape the indie scene through Only Much Louder(OML), artist management, CDs, music videos, festivals, and eventually some of the biggest shifts in Indian live entertainment. Debayan adds the next-generation lens, sharing how fa...

Most people collect degrees to build a career. Kailashnath Koppikar collected an MBBS, an MBA, film-school experience, jobs in cinema and television, ghostwriting work and then decided to start doing open mics.Naturally, Cyrus is offended on behalf of every Indian parent.Kailashnath and Aakash Mehta joins Cyrus Broacha to discuss his journey from medicine to NFDC, film production, television and stand-up comedy. They also get into Backspace, the importance of doing the unglamorous work, Aakash’s international tour and the strange economics of performing comedy abroad.The conversation then behaves like every Cyrus Says episode should: Christopher Nolan eati...

Why are Indians so afraid of snakes and how much of what we believe is completely wrong?

On this episode of Cyrus Says, Cyrus Broacha speaks with animal welfare and snake conservation advocate Sumanth Bindhumadhav about snake behaviour, snakebite prevention and the misinformation surrounding reptiles in India.

Sumanth explains the difference between venomous and poisonous animals, introduces India’s “Big Four” medically significant snakes and reveals why a cobra’s hood is usually a sign of fear, not aggression. He also shares the correct response to a snakebite, including why cutting the wound, sucking out venom or...

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In this episode of Cyrus Says, Cyrus sits down with Vaibhav Tatwawadi for a warm, funny, and deeply insightful conversation about theatre, engineering, acting, language, discipline, and the long road to finding success on your own terms. From growing up in Nagpur and choosing Pune over Mumbai, to discovering that badminton gave him applause but theatre gave him purpose, Vaibhav opens up about how he slowly built himself as an actor through inter-college drama, FTII projects, Marathi cinema, and eventually Hindi films.

The conversation also dives into Vaibhav’s journey through CO...

Comedian Shamik Chakrabarti joins Cyrus Broacha on Cyrus Says for a chaotic, football-heavy episode packed with World Cup takes, comedy tangents, pop culture jokes, and classic Cyrus-style derailments.

The conversation kicks off with Shamik’s UK and Europe comedy tour dates before moving into Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible final World Cup, Messi comparisons, Portugal’s struggles, Spain’s defensive football, and why France may be the team to beat. Cyrus and Shamik also discuss India’s complicated relationship with football, smaller nations qualifying for the World Cup, and why hydration breaks might be ruining the rhythm of the game.<...

In this episode of Cyrus Says, Cyrus Broacha sits down with Dr. Mukesh Batra, Padma Shri recipient, homeopathy pioneer, entrepreneur, author, and the man responsible for making tiny white pills a national emotion.

Dr. Batra is here to talk about his new book Toxic: Stories, Science and Remedies for a Cleaner Mind, Body and Spirit, but because this is Cyrus Says, the conversation naturally goes from pollution, immunity, AI in healthcare, Google doctors, antibiotic resistance and mental toxicity to marriage, hair loss, toilet-seat politics, and whether Cyrus can be medically fixed at this point.

It’s...

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In this episode, Cyrus sits down with Pooja Bhatt for a candid, funny, and deeply personal conversation that moves from their unforgettable Bigg Boss journey to her life in cinema, family, fame, failure, reinvention, and survival. What begins as a nostalgic look back at shared bathroom duties, food fights, sleep deprivation, and the madness of reality TV slowly opens up into a much bigger conversation about what it really means to endure pressure in public and still keep your sense of self.

Pooja speaks with rare honesty about growing up in...

Abbas' Twitter account gets hacked!
This week on Cock & Bull, Cyrus Broacha is joined by comedians Abbas Momin and Urjita Wani to react to some of the week's strangest headlines.

The conversation begins with Abbas explaining how his X (Twitter) account was hacked before the gang dives into bizarre stories including a real-life Batman catching criminals in Mexico, the Mirzapur movie announcement, football, Shah Rukh Khan's kindness, viral courtroom moments, award certificate spelling mistakes, Malayalam cinema and much more.

Expect plenty of tangents, roasting, pop culture references and classic Cock & Bull banter.

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