Bharat's Vision in Pixels
Chapter 24: Bharat's Vision in Pixels
The monsoon wind swept gently across the wide terrace of the Singh household. Bharat sat cross-legged near the old swing, a thick register open on his lap, its pages already lined with half-drawn sketches and clumsy diagrams. The breeze stirred the edge of his papers, and the scent of wet earth mingled with the smell of cardamom tea from the kitchen. Children laughed somewhere downstairs; one of them knocked over a steel glass with a clang, followed by Meena's shrill, "Rohan! You always make a mess!"
But Bharat barely heard. His eyes were lost in the distant horizon—and beyond that, in the future.
He held a sharpened pencil in his hand, pressing it gently against the paper but not moving yet. His mind wasn't in 1982. It was somewhere between California's booming tech halls, Tokyo's arcades bursting with light and music, and the smoky, crowded gullies of Lucknow.
In a murmur, he thought: "They don't know yet. But the world is going to change because of games."
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A Quiet Moment with Pitaji
Ajay's footsteps sounded behind him, soft but certain. Bharat looked up.
"Still working?" Ajay smiled, crouching beside him.
Bharat nodded. "Yes, Pitaji. I'm… drawing."
Ajay's eyes skimmed over the page—there were arrows, rectangles, symbols, boxes labeled with words like "motion sensor," "strategy tree," "memory bank," and "scoring logic."
"What is it this time?" he asked, half-teasing.
Bharat looked up. "A layout for a new game. But not just for India, Pitaji. I want this to go to America. Japan. France. Everywhere."
Ajay blinked. "You think we could export Indian games to the world?"
Bharat's eyes glowed. "Why not? They're exporting to us."
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Inside Bharat's Mind: A Rebirth of Vision
Inside his heart, Bharat knew truths he had not shared aloud. Not even with Pitaji.
He remembered reading about Nintendo's rise in Japan. About Atari in America. About how Pac-Man had become a global icon by 1981—earning over $1 billion in quarters. Even Donkey Kong, released just last year in Japan, was already capturing American arcades. And yet, in India, there was silence.
No labs. No development teams. No native heroes in gaming.
"But what if we create those?" Bharat thought. "What if India doesn't just consume games—but builds them?"
He stared at his sketch again.
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Game Ideas for India and the World
Ajay sat on the swing, watching him quietly. "Tell me your new ideas. Don't repeat the old ones. You already sold me on the importance of gaming."
Bharat smiled, gathering his thoughts.
"Alright. I've been thinking of categories. Games must be made by feeling the audience, by understanding age, culture, mindset…"
He counted off on his fingers:
1. Cultural Adventure Games: "Games based on Indian mythology—but not preachy. Let's say a boy travels through ancient Lanka, gathering pieces of the Ram Setu. You don't call it 'Ramayan' outright—but every Indian child knows the meaning."
2. Strategy Games for Adults: "Like chess but richer. Where each move affects a village economy. Something like… managing a city during monsoon, keeping roads, crops, health… everything in balance."
3. Fast-paced Arcade Titles: "Games like Galaga or Frogger but with Indian themes—dodging tonga carts on the road, or navigating the Ganga by boat!"
4. Educational Puzzles for Kids: "Color-matching Hindi alphabets. Math levels that unlock riddles about history. And a scoring system that encourages learning—not just fast fingers."
5. Fitness or Memory Games for Elders: "Many grandparents just sit all day. Why not motion-based games using hands or memory cues—on simple remotes connected to TV?"
Ajay's brows lifted. "That's… a big plan."
"And it's only the beginning," Bharat whispered.
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The Business Behind the Pixels
Ajay folded his arms. "You've talked about the dreams. Now tell me—how does this become real? Profitable?"
Bharat took a breath. "Look at America. In just two years, the U.S. game industry crossed $2 billion in revenue. Games like Pitfall and Defender are sold on home consoles like the Atari 2600. Japan's Nintendo is already planning to release the Famicom next year."
Ajay nodded slowly.
"In Delhi, Bombay, and Bangalore—arcade centers are opening. But the games are imported. Imagine if we offered Indian-made arcade machines at half the cost."
"You think Indian arcades would switch?"
"They will—if we match fun and reduce cost. Also… games are the only thing children cry for. Even if a toy costs ten rupees, if they want it—parents buy it. And with school-themed games, we remove guilt. Parents will say, 'at least they're learning!'"
Ajay chuckled. "You're thinking like a full-time businessman already."
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Laughter in the House
Just then, Meena and Rohan ran up.
"Bharat bhaiya!" Rohan shouted, "You're drawing another robot game?"
"No," Bharat grinned. "This time, it's a game where you run a mithai shop and dodge monkeys who steal your laddoos."
The kids burst into giggles.
"I want to ride a buffalo!" Meena said.
"I want to throw water balloons at exam papers!" added Rohan.
Ajay laughed aloud. "Maybe you should hire them as your creative team."
Bharat winked. "Already done. I'll pay them in laddoos."
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The Future in a Sketchbook
That evening, as the sun dipped behind the neem trees, Bharat turned back to his sketches. The courtyard dimmed into golden shadows. Someone began shelling peas in the kitchen. A radio played an old Lata song nearby.
He wrote in a neat corner of the page:
> "Make games that teach without being dull. That excite without being violent. That respect where we come from—but dream where we can go."
Then below it:
> "Mythology isn't just stories—it's untapped IP. Our history is rich. Our culture is diverse. Our market is young. Let's begin."
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