Chapter 17: Allies and Ambitions
Delhi — March 2, 2009 — 7:00 AM
The sky over Delhi was a faint gray, and the streets outside Shiva's house were just beginning to stir.
But Shiva was already wide awake, sitting cross-legged on his bed, laptop glowing in the dim morning light.
Today wasn't about fixing bugs.
Or battling pirates.
Today was about expanding the battlefield.
Today was about building alliances.
And first on the list was Kunal Mathur — the stranger who had reached out with a golden offer.
---
7:30 AM – First Call
"Hello?" Shiva said, trying to sound professional even though his heart was thumping.
"Hey brooo!" Kunal's voice burst through, full of energy. "Big fan, man! Rickshaw Rush is insane! So fresh, so hilarious!"
Shiva chuckled nervously. "Thanks, yaar. Means a lot."
"I showed it to my hostel mates. They're addicted!" Kunal said. "Listen — I have an idea."
Shiva sat up straighter.
"I'm part of a gaming club here in Pune. Pune Gamers United. About 250 members — casual and serious players."
"Whoa."
"And," Kunal continued, "I know a few small YouTubers. Not huge, but they do get a few thousand views. If you let us in early — maybe some exclusive content? — we can blow Rickshaw Rush up!"
Shiva could hardly believe it.
An army… waiting to be activated.
Opportunity was knocking hard.
And Shiva wasn't about to miss it.
---
8:30 AM – Terms of Alliance
They quickly agreed on a plan:
Exclusive Early Access: Kunal and his gaming club would get a special version (Rickshaw Rush Beta 1.3) first.
YouTube Shoutouts: Kunal's contacts would make funny gameplay videos, shout out Shiva's official links.
Feedback Loop: Gamers would report bugs, suggest new ideas — and brag about being "early founders."
In exchange, Shiva promised:
Early access to new features
Credits inside the game (special thanks section)
Some hidden easter eggs featuring Pune Gamers United!
It wasn't money.
It was respect.
It was community.
And in 2009 India, that was worth more than any marketing budget Shiva could dream of.
---
10:00 AM – Preparing Beta 1.3
After hanging up, Shiva dived into the code.
Goals for Beta 1.3:
Add a new map: Old Delhi Mayhem (narrow gullies, mad traffic)
Unlock a new rickshaw: Turbo Tuktuk (faster speed, crazier control)
Insert a hidden "Thank you" graffiti in the background:
> "Pune Gamers United Rules!"
He worked like a man possessed.
No breakfast.
No breaks.
Only bursts of code and imagination.
---
1:00 PM – Breakthrough
By afternoon, Beta 1.3 was ready.
It wasn't flawless.
But it was fun.
Wildly, gloriously, stupidly fun.
When Shiva playtested the new map, his rickshaw smashed into a donkey cart, spun 360 degrees, and landed upright.
He laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair.
This, he thought, wiping tears, this is why I'm doing it.
Not for money.
Not for fame.
But for the sheer, ridiculous joy.
---
2:30 PM – Official Dispatch
He zipped the APK, named it:
RickshawRush_Beta1.3_PGU_Special.apk
And sent it to Kunal with a message:
> "Beta 1.3 — You and your gang are the first to ever play this.
Blast it, break it, love it. Let's make history."
Then he hit send.
And waited.
---
5:00 PM – First Fireworks
Kunal's reply came with a photo:
Fifteen college students crammed into a small hostel room.
All staring at Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung phones.
Shouting. Laughing. Crashing virtual rickshaws.
Under the photo, Kunal captioned:
> "Bro. It's a riot here.
They LOVE it."
A few minutes later, links started popping up:
YouTube Videos:
"Rickshaw Rush Madness | Best Indie Game 2009?" — 1.2K views
"We Played Rickshaw Rush Until 3AM — Insane Chaos!" — 980 views
Orkut Groups:
"Rickshaw Rush Gamers — Join if you crashed into cows lol" — 57 members in 1 hour
Facebook Comments:
"Why is this game better than my exams?"
"Make it multiplayer bro!!!"
"Need Turbo Rickshaw in real life pls."
Shiva sat back, stunned.
This was real.
It was happening.
---
8:00 PM – Family Dinner (Interrupted)
Shiva's mother served aloo parathas lovingly.
"You are always on that computer, beta," she said, slightly worried. "Study also, na?"
"I'm...working, Ma," Shiva said, smiling.
She shook her head.
"All this video game time," she muttered, "and for what? No future in this."
Shiva bit back a laugh.
If only she knew.
If only the world knew.
---
10:00 PM – The Next Mountain
Kunal messaged again:
> "Bro, we gotta go bigger! Why not launch a small official tournament? Like — who gets the highest score wins a Rickshaw Rush T-shirt or something?
It'll blow up like crazy!"
A tournament.
A competition.
A movement.
Shiva's mind raced with possibilities.
He opened his notebook and wrote:
> March 25, 2009 — First Rickshaw Rush Championship
Underneath it, he wrote, almost trembling:
> **First Dream:
1,000 Players
100 YouTube Videos
National Buzz**
Because if Rickshaw Rush could conquer Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore…
Maybe, just maybe…
It could conquer the world.
And this time, no pirate, no crash, no cynic could stop it.
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[End of Chapter 17]