He’s one of Indian advertising’s sharpest minds and one of Bollywood’s most distinctive filmmakers — R. Balki joins Cyrus for an unfiltered, hilarious, deeply insightful episode. Balki takes us through his iconic campaigns (Hoodibaba, Surf Excel Ha Na, Idea), the mistakes that taught him everything , the famous suitcase incident , and how a Lifebuoy brainstorm accidentally led to Cheeni Kum . From Amitabh Bachchan’s reaction to a terrible car , to clients who swear sweetly , to why one idea is always better than twenty , this is a storytelling masterclass. They dive into: How Balki stumbled into advertising The Mudra ‘100-word ad’ that changed his life The Maruti Versa disaster featuring the Bachchans The birth of the ‘Idea’ & ‘Surf Excel Ha Na’ campaigns Why Hoodibaba was one word that saved an entire account Film inspirations & his move to cinema His funniest client fights & pitch room meltdowns It's witty, nostalgic, and loaded with brilliant insights. A must-watch for anyone who loves ads, films, or madness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
