The next morning, the "Masala Room"—a large, ventilated shed attached to the main Haveli—was crowded. Usually, this was a place of manual labor, where workers sat on mats, weighing spices on old iron scales and folding paper cones. Today, it was a laboratory.
Raghunath had arrived with a roll of thin, clear polyethylene film he'd sourced from a local supplier. His face was a mask of skepticism and hope. Beside him, the grandfathers stood like two pillars of judgment.
In the center of the room sat the "Machine."
It didn't look like much—a wooden frame built by Abhishek, a motor and heating coil scavenged by Ansh, and a gravity-fed funnel at the top. But to Ashutosh, looking through the viewfinder of the Bolex H16, it looked like the first brick of a castle.
"Are you sure about this, Ansh?" Raghunath asked, his hand on the power switch. "If the coil burns, we lose the motor."
"Ashu checked the timing, Papa," Ansh said, his voice steady despite his young age. "He said the heat needs to pulse, not stay constant."
Ashutosh, standing on a sturdy wooden crate to reach the camera's height, gave a thumbs-up. "Ready, Papa. Roll camera!"
Whirr-r-r-r.
The mechanical clockwork of the Bolex began to hum. Ashutosh felt his Director's Vision (Lv 1) sharpen. He wasn't just recording; he was choosing the angles that made the machine look powerful, modern, and reliable.
"Switching on!" Raghunath flipped the toggle.
The motor groaned, then settled into a steady rhythm. The pulley system Abhishek had rigged began to move the sliding plate.
Clack. A measured amount of turmeric powder fell from the funnel into the plastic tube.
Zip.
The spring-loaded plate snapped back.
Sizzle.
The heating bar, powered by the room-heater coil, pressed against the plastic.
A moment later, a sealed, rectangular packet of turmeric fell into the collection basket.
The room went silent. Then, another Clack-Zip-Sizzle. A second packet fell. Then a third.
"It... it actually works," Dada whispered, leaning down to pick up a packet. He squeezed it. "It's airtight. The aroma won't escape. The dampness won't get in."
"And look at the speed," Nana Janardhan added, checking his pocket watch. "One packet every six seconds. That's ten a minute. Six hundred an hour. Raghunath, this replaces four workers and does a better job!"
Raghunath picked up a packet, his eyes glistening. He looked at the crude machine, then at his three sons. Finally, his gaze landed on Ashutosh, who was still calmly filming the process.
[DING! Sub-Quest Completed: The First Roll]
[REWARD RECEIVED:]
300 Skill Points.
Item: 10 Rolls of Kodak 16mm Film.
[BONUS: FAMILY SYNERGY UNLOCKED]
Effect: When Ashutosh, Abhishek, and Ansh work together, project success rate increases by 20%.
Ashutosh stopped the camera. "It's not just about replacing workers, Nana. It's about the brand. Papa, once we print the 'Pathak' logo in red and gold on these packets, no one will ever buy loose masala again. We will be in every kitchen in India."
Raghunath walked over and lifted Ashutosh off the crate, camera and all, hugging him tight. "My son... my little director. You've given me the courage I was missing."
Savitri and Padma Sharma stood at the entrance of the shed. Padma was clapping, her eyes wide with amazement.
"Savitri, I am taking this boy to Bombay," Padma joked, though her voice had a hint of seriousness. "My brother Govind needs to see this. He thinks he's the only one with big dreams, but your son is building them out of wood and scrap metal!"
Ashutosh smiled against his father's shoulder. He looked at the 800 points in his balance, now bolstered by the 300 from the quest.
'1,100 points,' he thought. 'And I have the film I need. It's time to stop filming machines and start filming people.'
"Papa," Ashutosh whispered. "Now that the machine is working, can I use the extra space in the backyard? I want to build a small 'set.' I want to film a commercial."
"A commercial?" Raghunath laughed. "In 1979? We don't even have a TV in every house, Ashu!"
"We will," Ashutosh said, his eyes flashing with that "Fiery" certainty. "And when the TVs come, the Pathak name will be the first thing they see."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
New Quest: The Screen Test
Objective: Recruit your brothers and sister for a 30-second "Ad Concept" film.
Reward: 500 Skill Points + Unlock [Acting Coach] Sub-Skill.