In this hilarious and inspiring episode of Cyrus Says, we’re joined by the multi-talented Gautham Govindan, a stand-up comedian with a sharp corporate past. A former strategist at companies like Acko, Philips India, and Johnson & Johnson, Gautham blends real boardroom experience with observational humor, making him a standout voice in the world of corporate comedy. With a 99.99 percentile in CAT 2012, an engineering degree, and successful stints at firms like Mondelēz, Curefit, Slice, and ZO Rooms, his transition into comedy feels like a calculated punchline. Known for his clean, intelligent humor, Gautham performs in English, Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil, connecting effortlessly with diverse audiences. His work has featured on Amazon Prime’s Comicstaan, Comedy Central India, and gone viral on LinkedIn, where he blends job advice with jokes (#cvwritinghacks). From mic-stand antics and quirky theories about ice cream conspiracies, to tailoring acts for HR teams and launching solar lighting models in rural India, Gautham brings both brains and belly laughs to the stage. Tune in as he shares his journey from marketing decks to mic drops!

In this episode of Cyrus Says, we sit down with rising MMA star Siddharth Singh, who hails from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and began his martial arts journey at just 18, transitioning from a strong base in wrestling and boxing. Now training at Soma Fight Club, Bangkok, Siddharth has honed a powerful hybrid style of aggressive striking and technical grappling, under elite international coaches. With an impressive professional record of 8 wins and 2 losses, Siddharth fights in the Welterweight division (77 kg) and has made his mark as a former SFL Welterweight Champion, defending his title twice before stepping into the cage with Brave Combat Federation in 2022, notably facing Algerian contender Malik Bara. Known for his rear-naked chokes and devastating overhand right, he brings a calculated, crowd-pleasing style to every fight. He was named SFL Fighter of the Year in 2021, and his talent has earned him partnerships with Under Armour India and NitroX Sports Nutrition. This fun and insightful conversation also features hilarious takes on emotional strength, patience versus Delhi traffic, charm overload, and sibling rivalries.

Anish Gawande, born in Mumbai and educated at Columbia and Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, is India’s first openly gay national spokesperson for a mainstream party (NCP SP). Founder of Pink List India and the Dara Shikoh Fellowship, he led major COVID-19 relief via Youth Feed India. He translated queer literary works by Ramchandra Siras and The World That Belongs To Us. A fierce critic of Israel’s pinkwashing and Maharashtra's Mahayuti govt, Gawande advocates for abolishing criminal defamation, inclusive welfare, LGBTQ+ rights, caste equity, and climate justice. He blends U.S./U.K. campaign tactics with a “politics of care” to reshape Indian politics.