Chapter 23: Dancing with Giants
Delhi — March 20, 2009 — 10:00 AM
The lobby of Micromax's headquarters was a world apart from the dusty streets Shiva was used to.
Glass walls.
AC air so cold it bit through his hoodie.
Men and women in sharp suits, Bluetooth earpieces blinking like tiny blue eyes.
Shiva glanced at Kunal and Abhishek beside him.
Both looked as out of place as he felt.
But none of them showed it.
> "We are kings," Shiva reminded himself. "We don't bow. We build."
The receptionist — a polished woman with crimson lipstick and unreadable eyes — motioned them toward the elevators.
"Fourth floor. Content division."
The war was about to begin.
---
10:15 AM – The Waiting Game
Inside the waiting area:
Abstract paintings on the wall.
A glass coffee table stacked with Business India magazines.
Another young team already seated — nervously adjusting their ties, clutching folders.
Competition.
Shiva smirked.
The battlefield was invisible, but it was there.
Suddenly, the door to the main conference room opened.
A short, stocky man in his late thirties — expensive watch, confident gait — stepped out.
He scanned the waiting room, his gaze falling on Shiva.
"You're Shiva, right?"
Shiva stood.
"Yes, sir."
The man smiled.
No warmth.
Only calculation.
"I'm Rajesh Patel. Content Manager. Come in."
---
10:20 AM – The Negotiation Begins
Inside the conference room:
Long oval table.
Projector humming quietly.
Bottles of Kinley water neatly arranged.
Rajesh gestured for them to sit.
"Big fan of your game," he said smoothly. "Very... desi. Very viral."
Shiva nodded cautiously.
Rajesh wasted no time.
"We want to preload Rickshaw Rush on all Micromax phones launched this year.
Big opportunity for you — instant exposure to lakhs of users."
Abhishek leaned forward.
"Terms?"
Rajesh grinned like a shark.
"Simple.
We pay you ₹1 lakh upfront.
No royalties.
We get the rights to modify the game as needed.
You can't license it to anyone else in India for two years."
Shiva blinked.
₹1 lakh sounded huge.
Especially for a nineteen-year-old college student.
But the rest?
No royalties.
No creative control.
No freedom.
It was slavery with a paycheck.
He forced himself to breathe slowly.
Stay sharp. Stay cold. Stay king.
---
10:25 AM – The Counterattack
Kunal spoke first — to buy Shiva time.
"₹1 lakh upfront sounds... modest, sir, considering the kind of virality we're already seeing."
Rajesh shrugged.
"Exposure, boys. You're young. This will make you famous."
Classic play:
Throw fame at the young to blind them to power.
Abhishek followed up coolly.
"Modification rights? What exactly are you planning to modify?"
Rajesh smiled, tapping the table.
"Brand placements.
Maybe a Micromax logo splash screen.
Maybe tweak game difficulty.
Standard stuff."
Standard stuff... that could ruin everything Rickshaw Rush stood for.
Shiva's mind raced.
If they gave away rights now —
Micromax could churn out a hundred Rickshaw Rush clones.
They could replace Shiva's dream with corporate garbage.
He made a decision.
A terrifying one.
He would refuse.
But he had to do it smartly.
Not by saying "no."
By showing them that they were the ones losing out.
---
10:30 AM – The Gambit
Shiva leaned back, folding his arms.
Calm. Unshaken.
He spoke slowly:
> "Sir, Micromax isn't the only company noticing Rickshaw Rush.
In fact, we have preliminary talks scheduled with a few others next week.
Lava Mobiles. Spice. Even an Airtel gaming division rep."
A total bluff.
No one else had contacted him yet.
But Rajesh didn't know that.
His smile tightened, just a fraction.
Shiva continued:
> "We're flattered by Micromax's interest.
But ₹1 lakh for permanent creative handover… feels short-sighted.
We believe Rickshaw Rush can become the Angry Birds of India.
And we want partners. Not owners."
Silence.
Heavy.
Rajesh drummed his fingers lightly.
"You're bold," he said finally. "Maybe too bold."
Shiva smiled.
"Maybe.
Or maybe we're just early."
---
10:35 AM – The Offer Twists
Rajesh leaned forward, voice low.
"Alright. New deal."
He scribbled something on a notepad and slid it over.
Shiva read:
₹50,000 upfront
5% royalty on every phone sale with Rickshaw Rush preloaded
Micromax could request minor modifications, but core gameplay untouched
Non-exclusive licensing allowed after 6 months
It wasn't perfect.
But it was 10x better than the first offer.
A real partnership.
Kunal grinned.
Abhishek gave a tiny nod.
Shiva looked Rajesh in the eye.
"Done. Draft the paperwork."
They shook hands.
The deal was sealed.
The empire had just scored its first real victory.
---
11:00 AM – Exiting the Battlefield
Back outside, Delhi's chaos swallowed them.
Buses roaring.
Hawkers shouting.
Life thrumming at a thousand beats per second.
But inside Shiva's heart:
Stillness.
Pride.
A rising storm.
They had faced giants — and walked away with their heads held high.
No begging.
No selling out.
Only building forward.
---
1:00 PM – Rickshaw Rush: The Business Awakens
Back in Shiva's tiny room, the Inner Circle celebrated with chai and samosas.
But Shiva sat apart, notebook open.
Sketching madly.
> Rickshaw Rush — The Expansion Plan:
Merchandising: Rickshaw-themed t-shirts, mugs
Mobile Tournament Series: "RR Road Kings"
Cross-game events: Tie-ups with new indie games
Paid Add-ons: Unlockable legendary rickshaws
International Version: Rickshaw Rush: Bangkok Blitz
He wasn't thinking like a gamer anymore.
He was thinking like a tycoon.
Rickshaw Rush would not be a one-hit wonder.
It would become a universe.
And the Inner Circle would be its architects.
---
March 21, 2009 — A New Challenger Rises
Just when Shiva thought he could breathe...
News broke.
Another startup — GameNode Studios — was launching a rival game.
Rickshaw Rampage.
Bigger explosions.
Bollywood actor tie-ins.
Funded by a rich uncle.
With marketing budget 10x bigger.
The war was just beginning.
And Shiva realized:
> "The world doesn't reward the first.
It rewards the fiercest."
He cracked his knuckles.
Smiled coldly.
Bring it on.
Let's see who survives.
---
[End of Chapter 23]