This show is a narrative and the episodes of its
stories would be short and broadcasted on a specific time: 6:00 p.m., every
Tuesday, while one episode (of the particular week) would repeat for the entire
week.
Show
Name: Making Life Subtle With RJ Shaifali
Story Title: Life Lessons from Ludo
Games
WEEK 1
Station
theme plays at the top of the hour (6:00 p.m.)
VFX: dice clatters on
Ludo board
Kid:
Grandpa, you have been playing Ludo at 8 p.m. on the
dot every day for many years now. Does this humdrum of yours never begin to
pall?
Grandpa: (in his old but stern voice) No
sweetheart! Do you ever get bored of playing cricket?
Kid:
But that is something I play outside and with a lot of
friends while you stay inside and I have seen you playing it alone at times.
Playing outside and with friends make me learn new things. How do you not get
bugged by playing this indoor game every day?
Grandpa: So
do I learn. Who said we cannot learn through indoor games? In fact, everybody
should play Ludo from time to time to learn and remain in touch with the basics
of life.
Kid: Life
lessons from Ludo? How is that possible?
Grandpa:
Well, let’s play a game and learn. What’s say?
Kid:
Ammm… okay!
Radio
Announcer: And
there began life lessons for Jai by his beloved grandpa.
VFX: dice clatters on Ludo board
Kid:
(in a frustrated
voice) Oh god! It’s been three turns
and I am just not getting a six. This game can be mentally exhausting. Why
can’t we simply move with a one or a two or a three or any other number for
that matter?
Grandpa:
Dear child! Wait for your sixes. Your first stroke has
to be big enough to bring you out of your shell. If you get comfortable at
stepping out on getting any other number, you will not realize how important it
is to aspire for the moon to be able to land among the stars.
Kid:
But
you got your six on your very first turn. That would take the game to your end.
Grandpa:
It’s very wise of you to understand that. But at the
same time, do you realize the fact that every player starts at six only. How
can we call it biased then?
Kid:
So, it’s a clear matter of luck, right?
Grandpa:
Luck, my dear, whether for Ludo or in life, is just a term we use to
calm down our souls on failures but neglect on achievements. Why is it that I
wish you good luck before your exam and you say “bad luck” when you score low?
Why isn’t this interchangeable? Think about it.
Kid:
(stretching the
words) So that means….
Grandpa:
That simply means that luck is nothing but a hope we
create for ourselves on prospective merry moments. I personally believe that
luck takes a seat across in the game of Ludo. It enjoys seeing its players
depending on it while it actually does nothing but eats popcorns and sips on
coca-cola watching the match. You will understand it more with the game. My
turn it is.
Radio
Announcer:
For
the next five turns, grandpa plays alone on the board and his grandson
struggles to understand luck and get a six.
Kid:
Finally, I have my six! Now I will show you grandpa!
My token will come out and defeat you.
Radio
Announcer:
These were some primary lessons Jai started with while playing Ludo with
his grandfather. He understood the value of a big number, or a big aspiration,
in making the first small step, and also that luck is a vague term that we can
easily live without. Stay tuned for grandpa’s next lesson that he will come up
with next Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
Station
theme plays
WEEK 2
Station
theme plays at top of the hour (6:00 p.m.)
Radio
Announcer:
Jai is intrusive about knowing why his grandpa is
never tired of playing a game as stodgy as Ludo. His grandfather tells him the
various lessons he has learnt about life from this simple game. Would Jai
understand the depth of simplicity with his grandpa’s take on life and Ludo.
VFX: dice clatters on Ludo board
Kid: Finally,
I have my six! Now I will show you grandpa! My token will come out and defeat
you.
Grandpa:
Well. Which of your tokens exactly is aimed at
defeating anyone?
Kid:
Ammm… (skeptic
voice) this one to the right side.
Grandpa: And how do you plan to
defeat me with this?
Kid:
Ammm… (innocent
and enthusiastic voice) I will get more and more sixes, and I will make it
to the home stretch before you and win the game.
Grandpa:
And does the game end there?
Kid:
(skeptic voice) I
guess so… wouldn’t it?
Grandpa:
Oh my innocent 7-year-old, would you eat today and say
you are full forever? Would winning one cricket match make you the best
cricketer in the history of the sport? Even if it does, would the game end
there? Nobody can defeat you in Ludo or life my sweetheart. When you make it to
the home stretch, we won’t wrap the game until I reach my destination. It will
go on until I decide to quit.
Kid: So
that means we are never a loser in life until we keep trying, even if somebody
else has won before us.
Grandpa:
Yes, it is just your life and you are a winner when
you reach your desired destination, before somebody else or after should have
nothing to do with your victory. Keep going unto you arrive.
Kid:
But
then what is the competition all about? Why would I play it four other people?
Grandpa:
It is you who call it competition. To me, it is
interaction with people who cross our paths. It is learning from them and their
experiences. It is choosing to make friends over living in solitude.
Kid:
So, Rishabh and Anjali who are top scorers in my class
are not my competition but friends.
Grandpa:
Yes, of course. And not just these top scorers, the
low scorers and the cornered ones are your friends as well.
Kid: No,
Rishi is not my friend. He beats other students.
Grandpa:
He can be but. Why not try and befriend him for once?
Teach him some good values. Even if he doesn’t absorb these at the moment, he
will one day remember you for being somebody who taught him the right things.
You might not change the wrong but you should never hesitate to try your hands
at changing the wrongdoer.
Kid: You
are right and it’s my turn now.
Grandpa:
Hey, you just had your six and the following turn.
Don’t play smart with your grandpa, it’s my turn now.
Kid:
Oh you got me.
Grandpa:
And it’s a six. I will bring out my next token.
Kid:
What? why? Why wouldn’t you move the one already set
on its path to victory?
Radio
Announcer:
Grandpa has a different take on the meaning each token has. For him,
these are not just tokens but symbols of various traits that shape our lives.
We will know these in the next episode. Stay tuned and we will meet you next
Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
Station
theme plays
WEEK 3
Station
theme plays at top of the hour (6:00 p.m.)
Radio
Announcer:
Jai learned that life is not about competition but collaboration.
Grandpa left him hanging on the question that why didn’t he move his token that
was already out and rather brought another one out?
VFX: dice clatters on
Ludo board
Grandpa:
So tell me something Jai, when you appear for an exam
what all do you take along with you?
Kid:
I take my geometry box, my exam board that has a
Doraemon poster, extra pencils, and…. Ammm... what else do I take…
Grandpa:
You little master, why do you forget your brains?
Kid: Haha!
But that is not a thing, that is not tangible. I thought I didn’t have to count
it.
Grandpa:
Just because something is visible to the eye and
touchable to the hand doesn’t mean it is the most valuable thing in the world.
With your brains and heart, you can win the world. With some pencils or
tangible things however, you would succeed in limited places only.
Kid:
Hmm. Fair enough! But, how do you relate that to my
question that why don’t you carry forward the token already set out instead of
bringing out another one from the yard.
Grandpa:
Just like brains, there are four other important and
intangible things that we need to succeed in life. I would say it is these four
capacities that lead one to the righteous usage of the brains as well.
Kid:
I don’t really think I am able to follow you, grandpa.
Grandpa:
Sweetheart, to me, each of these four tokens has a
meaning. One stands of will power, another for patience, third for
self-awareness, and the last token represents humbleness. All of these together
help you come out of your comfort zone, or yard what you call here.
Kid:
Oh! I had never thought it that way.
Grandpa:
Yes. And in life, we must bring out these capacities,
as and when required, and unite them to conquer any challenge and achieve what
we desire for.
Kid:
So, if I have all these and I do not put in any hard
work, then I will succeed, right?
Grandpa:
No. Attainment of these traits is not easy as it
sounds. You only learn and absorb them through experiences of working hard and
putting up your best efforts. Remember, to double your gains, you got to triple
your efforts.
Kid:
All righty! I got you. So, with every move moves
forward my will power, patience, self-awareness, and… and what was the last
one?
Grandpa:
Humbleness, my child. It all goes it vain if you do not keep your humble
front because we live in an inter-dependent world and we have got to be humble
with everybody, no matter which peak we stand at.
Kid:
Is that the reason you never
blow your own trumpet on winning Ludo game from papa?
Grandpa: Haha!
No, I just don’t want to make him feel bad, that’s why.
Radio
Announcer:
Grandpa jokes around with Jai, who has now started to see the four
tokens of Ludo with in grandpa’s perspective. From time to time, and as
situations call for, we must put to front our will power, patience,
self-awareness and humble nature as a combination of these traits makes us
immune to defeat and becoming flashy. For more grandpa’s lessons, tune in next
Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
Station
theme plays
WEEK 4
Station
theme plays at top of the hour (6:00 p.m.)
VFX: dice clatters on
Ludo board
Kid:
You have been getting all sixes and I am only being
blessed with a one or a two. That is not fair. I want bigger numbers to reach
home stretch.
Grandpa: I
liked that you believe it is a blessing. It indeed is.
Kid:
So why don’t you take my smaller numbers and trying
playing the game with smaller steps.
Grandpa:
Trust me Jai, it is a blessing. You just need to focus
on moving and not the speed.
Kid:
I
am not even half way there and you are already above my square.
Radio
Announcer:
Grandpa’s token is on the square right above where
Jai’s starting square happens to be. He has one token secured in his starting
square while the other one is moving at smaller paces that grandpa’s. In his
next turn, grandpa gets a three and though he could move his other token, he
decides to move the one above Jai’s in order to teach him the next lesson.
Sound:
dice clatters on Ludo board
Kid:
(enthusiastically) And I get a two and I
am going to capture you. Yuhuu!
Grandpa:
See, I told you fast and slow paces don’t matter as
long as you are just moving. And with will power, I will come out once again.
If I don’t in this turn, I will make use of…
Kid:
Patience.
Radio
Announcer:
Jai cuts grandpa’s speech and grandpa applauds for
Jai. Grandpa gets a three again and moves his only piece eligible to move
further. Grandpa teaches a very important lesson here. In life, we might be
slower to others or others might be slower to us. In either scenario, all we need
to focus on is our destination. Those who deserve will eventually reach there.
Those who don’t might get captured or get back to square one. Learn to feel
proud of your minutest achievement and others’ giant ones as well, and not
about achieving before them. Learn to feel good about winning and not winning
over others. You are your own competition and not anybody’s.
Kid:
I am so close to winning this game. I just need a five
and its mine.
Grandpa:
Hey, I need just a two and this game would be mine
huh!
Kid:
No, no. Not this time grandpa. This is my moment, my
moment of new lessons. I need to learn to stay humble and for that I need to
win this game.
Grandpa:
You are already a winner in my eyes, my love!
VFX: dice clatters on
Ludo board
Radio
Announcer:
After a few turns, Jai finally gets his five and wins
the game and many important values of life.
Grandpa:
So, Jai. Tell me all what
you have learned.
Kid:
I
learned that every person has traits of will power, patience, self-awareness
and humbleness inside them. To discover these, one has to come out of their
shells and explore the world with other people. Having discovered these, one is
already a winner.
Grandpa:
You forgot to mention one most important lesson.
Kid:
Oh! I am sorry. What is that?
Grandpa:
When the game is over, begin again because life is too short to stop.
VFX:
dice clatters on Ludo board
Radio Announcer: Never since then, grandpa has played alone at 8 p.m. Tune in every
Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. for more stories and make your life subtle with RJ
Shaifali.
Station
theme plays
