Many know me simply as AmiGo – a cricketer at heart, historian by mind, and storyteller by soul. Writing, for me, isn’t just a profession – it’s how I make sense of the world. It’s how I blend my lifelong fascinations – history, intrigue, cinema, cricket, mythology, and even mathematics into stories that seek to surprise, inspire, entertain, and sometimes even chase the reader. Born and raised in the mango town of Nuzvid, where I studied at SDA School, my earliest inspirations came from two unlikely companions: history and mathematics. While my classmates played under the sun, I was often found lost in thought, grappling with ancient wars or puzzling over patterns. That blend of curiosity and imagination became the fuel for something greater: a lifelong pursuit of storytelling. My passion for history and the mysteries it holds sparked my first two books.
BERETTA 606824 – The Gun That Killed Mahatma Gandhi imagines the journey of the assassin’s gun across 14 years, 13 countries, and 12 hands – from Mussolini to Godse, from Italy to India, through wars and revolutions, it’s a tale of irony, chance, and the quiet violence of history. The book received global appreciation and earned me the International Author Excellence Award. Then came COWBOY 51 – and His Gutsy Escape to Glory, a genre-defying espionage thriller about a cricketer-spy sent on a nuclear mission to Pakistan. It’s a fast-paced journey from Hyderabad to Rawalpindi – where sport meets spycraft. It’s a story about grit, glory, and the love of one’s nation – where a bat and a bullet share the same stage. The novel bends genre and expectation, creating a literary space where patriotism and espionage meet at a full toss. CHEPAUK – A Story of Love, Guns and Cricket soon followed. Set in the heart of a roaring stadium in Chennai, it’s a romantic thriller about love that blooms in the stands and battles fate off the field – where the game is not just cricket, but destiny itself. It asks: can love survive when destiny plays its own game?
Wanting to challenge myself further, I stepped into the realm of psychological mystery with AlgoRhythm – Math, Music, Murder. Set in Haridwar, it’s a unique fusion of mathematical patterns, musical harmony, physics, geography, and mythology – all tied into a high-stakes murder mystery. AlgoRhythm is not just a story of detection – it’s a story of discovery. And now, I turned to young minds with The Animal School of Living, an anthology of 27 short stories for children – crafted to inspire, amuse, and gently guide them through life’s little lessons taught to all of us by the animals. It’s my heartfelt attempt to nurture curiosity, kindness, and courage through stories that are simple, wise, and unforgettable. I’ve always believed that stories should be more than just entertainment. They should carry questions, whisper truths, and sometimes – leave you breathless.
Poetic yet precise, curious yet clear, rooted in India yet universal in spirit – whether it’s a weapon, a cricket ball, a formula, or a fable – I see stories where others see silence. So here am I, spinning tales where spies, stadiums, strange guns, and mysterious killers collide. There’s a lot more coming – and I promise, every next one might just catch you off guard. Thank you.
– Amirisetti Gopal
AlgoRhythm – math, music, murder
Writing AlgoRhythm has been a departure from everything I’ve written before. As much as my previous books, Beretta 606824, Cowboy 51, and Chepauk, were narratives driven by history, intrigue, and fiction, AlgoRhythm marks an evolution in my exploration of genre and storytelling.
In Beretta 606824, I delved into an imaginary world driven by a legendary gun whose destiny was ironical in many a sense. Cowboy 51 was an attempt to blend espionage and cricket, to create a cracker of a story fuelled by nuclear power. Chepauk is a pure love story, framed through the lens of cricket, a game much like life, is full of strategy, skill, and unexpected turns.
While those novels were steeped in history, culture, and a sense of fiction, AlgoRhythm is a psychological thriller, a blend of mystery, science, and mythology that pushes the boundaries of my previous storytelling. Where my earlier works leaned heavily on historical narratives and the interplay of real-world events, AlgoRhythm ventures into the realms of mathematical patterns, the harmony of music, and the ancient mysteries of mythology, all interwoven into a high-stakes murder mystery.
The challenge for me, as a writer, was to create a thriller that was not only intellectually stimulating but also deeply immersive in terms of suspense and emotion. In AlgoRhythm, the murder mystery is not just about catching a killer, it’s about unravelling a complex puzzle that involves numbers, rhythms, and secrets that span both time and space. It is, in many ways, my most ambitious work, as I’ve tried to weave together disparate elements that, on the surface, may seem unrelated but, in the end, come together in a rhythm that drives the plot forward. What makes AlgoRhythm different is that it is not just a story of detection, it is a story of discovery.
Abhay, the protagonist, finds himself in a city steeped in spiritual significance, confronting a series of murders that appear to follow an otherworldly pattern. The thriller aspect of the book is blended with deeper themes of divine proportions, beliefs and most significantly, the battle between order and chaos. What I can promise is that this novel will push the boundaries of a typical thriller. It’s an intellectual and emotional rollercoaster that will keep you guessing until the very last page, leaving you with more questions than answers. I invite you to embrace the codes hidden within the pages, as they slowly unfold, revealing a story like no other.
Writing AlgoRhythm was a journey into uncharted territory for me, a fusion of myths, contemporary crime, and the very foundations of science. I started weaving the narrative and found myself drawn to the idea of patterns. What happens when we lose control of the pattern? The setting of Haridwar is central to the story. It’s a city that represents both life and death, spirituality and mystery. Here, the Ganga river flows endlessly, a symbol of purity and renewal, but also a reminder of the fleeting nature of time. Abhay, the protagonist, represents each one of us and his journey, a mirror of our own struggles with the unknown. The central premise of AlgoRhythm revolves around a killer whose methods are as precise and calculated as the mathematical equations that govern the universe. His crimes follow a rhythm, one that plays out in numbers, in music, in patterns that seem beyond human understanding. This killer, like the very forces of nature, is both a product of the world he inhabits and an enigma that transcends it.
Honestly the phrase -Math, music and murder, was what struck in my mind and propelled me to write this book. I wanted to explore how these fields could become tools to decipher something as dark and elusive as murder, as deadly as obsession, and as mysterious as the human mind itself. At its core, AlgoRhythm is a story about the search for meaning. Abhay must confront his own demons, literally and figuratively, as the case takes him down unexpected paths. The tension mounts as each clue unravels more mysteries, and the line between victim and perpetrator blurs. As the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place, the truth may be more shocking than anything they could have imagined, and it may not just be the killer who has been playing a game all along.
What gives me immense satisfaction is the fact that I am dedicating this book to my father. As I have always said, he was the one who believed in me the most, perhaps even more than I did myself. I am sure that wherever he is, he will be happy and proud. It is always a bittersweet feeling to realize that he is no longer around, but I find comfort in knowing that my work will continue to make him proud.
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Alex Rodrigo for writing the foreword to this book, setting the perfect tone for the journey within these pages. I couldn’t have asked for a more thoughtful and inspiring introduction. I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to Nittin, my friend in Mumbai, with whom I first discussed this story to turn it into a film. His insights and suggestions were invaluable.
I hope that as you turn the pages of this book, you will not only be captivated by the mystery, but also ponder the deeper questions it raises. As you embark on this journey through the pages of AlgoRhythm, I invite you to follow the clues, and allow the beats of this story to pull you into a world where logic, myth, and mystery collide in ways you never expected. Since all the chapters are numbered, I thought it would be only appropriate to name each chapter after a Raaga, bringing math and music together.
Let the rhythm guide you.
THE THREE MUSKETS
Two of my favourite directors and cinema visionaries, Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen, inspired generations of writers and filmmakers not just with their films but also by their precious statements. ‘I dream for a living’ is one such inspiring statement or the statement of a lifetime to a dreamer like me. ‘All I have in my life is my imagination’ is another such statement that can inspire the crazy creator inside everyone of us. I am a product of the same school of thought, always pondering on the beauty of man’s existence and an innate zeal to create something new with my imagination.
All my three books are products of my fascination for history and the sleepless nights I spent imagining what would have happened if something like this happened or what if a person like this was present during that period. ‘What if’ is such a beauty of an expression that brings out the beast from inside you. As a child; cricket, cinema and the idea of time travel were the three things that removed all the dullness from inside me. Bunking school and college for cricket and cinema is what I still cherish as a student. My dad always enjoyed what I wrote and now I feel the vacuum of his absence. It is the writing once again that is bringing me out from that sorrow and advancing me towards those long-cherished dreams. I will dedicate my work to my dad and I’m sure he will bless me from wherever he is right now. He will be happy and proud.
My kids Pritham and Vihaan keep counting every new story that I write and add to my shelf. Their enthusiasm is fuel to my vision for the future. I’ve heard it many times but I’m slowly beginning to experience what our elders taught us, ‘what goes around, comes around’. I take this opportunity to thank all my readers and friends who encouraged me and continue to do that. I consider Beretta 606824, Cowboy 51 and Chepauk to be the three muskets that made me a musketeer in search of glory. While I continue to pen more books, I’m now going to achieve my dream to reach a wider audience through the medium of celluloid. While all my three books are adapted for the screen, I have bigger projects lined up with more fascinating and exciting stories in the backdrop of some unusual new worlds, once again the products of my anxious imagination.
While my Jai in Beretta was able to meet Gandhi, Mussolini and Godse; Gautam in Cowboy found himself lucky to meet spymaster Kao and Zia. Of course, Vijay in Chepauk is lucky to meet Sunny Gavaskar and also finds himself privileged to watch all those iconic matches at the most iconic of venues that hosted the gentleman’s game of cricket. Thus Jai, Gautam and Vijay became my three musketeers in adventure, and precisely the reason why I called my three books as the three muskets. Irony, serendipity, love, destiny and duty are some of the topics I discussed in my books. The opening line of my first book is one of the lines Mahatma Gandhi spoke about one’s duty to the nation; the future depends upon what you do today. The essence of that statement should make everyone sleepless in terms of responsibility. If not everyone, it did make me stand on my toes and thus began this journey towards cinematic brilliance. I’m sure my work will speak for itself as I indulge in screenwriting to create that magic I always dreamt of as a child. As you browse forward, I bring you insights about each of my works and the idea behind that every idea, and the future projects. I pray that I am blessed with the power, courage and wisdom to achieve the dream. Wish me good luck and Godspeed while I pledge to entertain everyone across the globe.
Thank you.
THE STORY
‘THE FUTURE DEPENDS UPON WHAT YOU DO TODAY’ – MAHATMA GANDHI
The first round table conference of the Gandhi Irwin pact in India didn’t produce the desired results. The one handed Englishman Irwin who called Mahatma as the half naked fakir, invited the latter to London for another session of talks. Gandhi Ji boarded SS Rajputana for a voyage to London along with some of his trusted aides for the second round table conference. He garnered support from many European nations during his fourteen day voyage. The response in London was immaculate and the tour extended to more than three months because of the laidback attitude of the British. Mahatma stayed with the down trodden public in Kingsley hall and succeeded in sowing the seeds of the spirit of his movement in the white people too. While some hailed him as the messenger of truth, some called him the Indian Christ. The unfruitful outcome of the talks made Gandhiji think of other plans. It was at the same time, the fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini extended an invitation to Mahatma asking him to visit his headquarters in Rome. Though many opposed the idea, Gandhiji decided to meet Mussolini and ask for his support as well.
Mahatma’s presence in Pallazo venezia raised many eyebrows but people turned up in large numbers to see the saint about whom they read a lot. A mightily impressed Mussolini pledged his support to India’s freedom movement. He had big plans of war and began to devise strategies for it. And to strengthen his infantry division, Mussolini ordered for better weapons from the Beretta factory. After three years of strenuous research work, the Beretta factory came up with a semi automatic, eight round pistol which mightily impressed their Il Duce, who decided to wage a war beginning with the invasion of Ethiopia. Mussolini had Beretta 606824 in his hands gifted to him by Pietro Beretta. He gave it to Jose Mario, the head of his infantry.
The scene is cut from the past to the present. In the present day Ethiopia, a student of archaeology finds a stunning skeleton buried underneath and discovers it to be an artifact from the second Italo Ethiopian war. An unblemished piece of red cloth held stiffly by the frightening dead man’s hands, attracts her attention and she decides to do something very humane. She identifies the fourth generation successor of the soldier from the dna bank in India and sends the mortal remains to him.
Jai is an activist in Vishakapatnam who aspires to become a soldier and serve his nation. The Red Cross proposes to felicitate him for being fifty time blood donor, on the eve of their hundredth anniversary. Jai learns about the death of two innocent fishermen to the bullets of Italian marines travelling on a military vessel. The marines argued that they suspected the Indian fishermen to be sea pirates. They are arrested by the police and taken into custody. The Indian government doesn’t pay heed to any sort of pressure from the international community to release the marines. Their decision to prosecute the marines under the Indian penal code raises many eyebrows around the world. Some people in London decide to take advantage of this situation and release a wanted criminal Iqbal as a part of a larger conspiracy. They see Jai as an obstacle and lure a local legislator to remove him. The legislator Gangaram wins over the families of the dead fishermen and but slowly falls into the trap of the conspirators by innocently following all their instructions in return for big money.
Jai receives the parcel from Ethiopia and becomes emotional on learning about his forefathers. The red cloth in the parcel along with the mortal remains catches his attention and he opens it to see a folded jacket with a calendar like device fixed inside and set to a date of the Ethiopian war. He wears it and receives a shock of a lifetime when he’s transported back in time. Later on, Jai’s friend who works as a journalist tells him that Gangaram has invested a lot of money in Ethiopia. Gangaram invites Jai to his home and asks him to accompany him to the African nation for two days citing false reasons. Jai knows that it’s a trap but agrees to go with an intention to expose the legislator and all the people behind him. Gangaram escapes from Addis Ababa airport leaving Jai helpless and in a lot of trouble. Jai resorts to taking help of the red jacket and finds himself in the middle of a war. His heart desires to meet his grandfather and finds him only to see him get shot by a merciless bullet. Jai’s dying grandfather tells him about the jacket and orders him to go and fight instead of escaping from life.
Jai meets Angelina of the Swedish Red Cross and is impressed by her service. He helps her while she attends to the wounded soldiers. The Italians drop mustard bombs and all unethical means to eliminate their enemy. Jai loses his good friend Angelina in the attack and decides to go back to his world. But Jai loses his jacket whilst trying to protect Angelina. A distressed Jai begins his search for the jacket and ends up being a soldier in Mussolini’s army. Jai’s journey with the iconic Beretta 606824 begins here with the Italian victory in Ethiopia. The journey continues in wars against Spain, Albania, Greece, British, Somaliland and Eritrea. Jai’s friendship with Niccolo, a soldier makes him forget all about his past as well as the pain. Both of them enjoy their time during the war as though it was a holiday. Mussolini joins hands with Hitler in the Second World War taking millions of lives in the most abominable manner. After twelve years of war, Jai finally boards a ship to travel back to India. Niccolo gifts Jai his engagement ring and tells him that he would name his daughter as Jai. William Walter of the British army gifts Colonel VV Joshi of the Gwalior infantry with the Beretta 606824 as a war trophy for saving his life. Joshi presents the gun to Maharaja Jeevajirao Scindia who adds it alongside other decorations on the walls inside his palace.
Jai alights the ship in the Bombay harbor and walks into a café for refreshments. The Indian Independence movement was at its peak and the words Quit India were written everywhere. He overhears a conversation between two men seated beside him about a conspiracy to kill someone. After they leave, Jai realizes that Mahatma Gandhi is the target of the assassination being planned. Still recovering from the shock of what he’s just heard, Jai sees something at a distance much to his disbelief. His red jacket with a soldier!! Jai decides that he should stop the men from assassinating Mahatma Gandhi and follows them both.
Will Jai manage to stop millions of hearts from plunging into a darkness of sorrow and pain or will the light that guided the world forever be lost?
What role does the famed weapon play in the hands of Jai in shaping history as we know it or the future unseen?
Is Jai successful in stopping another worldwide crisis from unfolding as the powers that be try to sabotage the case of the marines who killed the fishermen?
A Story of Love, Guns and Cricket
Chepauk stadium is one of the oldest cricket grounds in our country, and a witness to hundreds of matches that had fortunes defined by the cricket ball. Chepauk is iconic in more ways than one, for everyone who ever visits it, surely falls in love…with it…and as in the case of Vijay and Shalini, with each other. Three year old Vijay was struck by a ball and hospitalised for a blood clot. While the doctor’s silence worried his parents more, India’s world cup victory and the celebrations that followed in every town, was what cured Vijay. Yes, cricket saved Vijay and cricket nurtured him as he grew up.
Two school kids from the same neighbourhood in Madras then, Vijay and Shalini, had one thing in common, and that was love for cricket and both were ardent fans of the game even at that very young age. Vijay’s father was a master craftsman whose handmade cricket bats were much sought after, and although that young Vijay didn’t inherit that skill, his prowess of wielding the bat on the pitch and his impeccable stroke play, made him a definite contender for the national team when he grew big. Vijay’s parents despite their humble beginnings did everything they could, to provide him with whatever was needed for him to achieve that dream. Shalini was the child of an Australian mother and an Indian father, and passionate about becoming a doctor. It wasn’t long before Chepauk played the role of a catalyst and a bond blossomed between the two when they together took a photograph with Sunny Gavaskar, much to the chagrin of Shalini’s overprotective father, who took every possible step to keep the kids apart. He didn’t like Vijay’s social status and only entertained the kids who were at par with them.
Destiny unlike Shalini’s father, had other plans for them as Vijay had to move to Hyderabad with his family when his dad found a better job there. And soon Shalini and her family shifted to another locality, in effect ensuring that the two could not remain in touch as they had so innocently planned. Vijay continued to flourish and hone his cricketing skills under Coach Bala. An opportunity to re-unite did come, when the young boys and their coach went to play a match at Chepauk for an under-15 tournament. Vijay did make time to search for Shalini but fate kept them away though they were just few yards apart. Seeing Shalini’s photograph in Vijay’s hands, the security guard informs him that the girl has been searching for him.
Vijay returns to Hyderabad but desperation drives him into taking a rash decision to run away from home to Chennai in search of Shalini, with the hope of finding her. Far away from home and with no means of survival, Vijay pleads security guard Muthusami to help him stay inside the stadium and work there. The kind hearted guard introduces the little fellow to his brother Arulsamy who is the ground curator. Vijay joins as a ball boy and soon gets to play under him. Vijay impresses everyone and manages to get a shot at the under-19 cricket selections. Very soon Vijay wants to go back and meet his parents also. Amidst all this, Vijay did every possible effort to find Shalini. He went to the school where they both studied together and managed to get her photograph from her 10th standard application. Vijay now has two pictures of Shalini, both separated by ten years.
Vijay’s attempts at finding Shalini in Chennai, land him in trouble, as he ends up being a witness to the murder of a policeman being committed by a notorious and dreaded gangster Naik. Vijay is spotted at the scene by the gangsters, and they chase him with the intention of eliminating the only witness to the crime. But Vijay manages to escape and hides himself from their sight.
Meanwhile Naik and his team get to know that the eye witness to their crime is within their grasp. A skilled Vijay excels in the selections and gets closer to be selected into the under-19 team only to be falsely implicated in a guns smuggling case inside his cricket kit. Vijay is handed a ban on playing cricket until the case is resolved. A depressed Vijay decides to go away with no destination in mind. His friend Senthil drops him at the railway station and asks him to take care. A fire in his train alerts all the passengers and Vijay ends up saving a Muslim family from the mob. He leads them to safety and rescues many such people by admitting them in hospital. The Muslim family listen to his story and are emotionally driven apart. The head of the family, Shariff requests Vijay to stay with them and they take him to a masjid to name him as Rasool, the name of one of their family members who was lost. The name literally meant, messenger of God.
Few days later Vijay goes to the stadium to learn about Senthil being burnt alive during the riots, largely implicated by Naik and his gang with the support of some cruel politicians. Vijay decided to lead a new life. His parents’ efforts to find him are all in vain. Few days later during a violent incident, Vijay is wounded and fate brings him to Shalini, who is now a doctor. However, the two do not recognize each other, and a harmless prank played by Shalini’s friends keeps Vijay from knowing her real name or identity. Vijay is known to her by the name of Rasool and Shalini by the name of Grace.
Sheriff helps Rasool (Vijay) set up a small cricket academy for children in a piece of land that he owns, so that he can continue to be associated with the game that he loves so much. Shalini and Rasool’s paths cross once again when she visits the academy to join her maid’s kid for coaching. Even though the two don’t recognize each other, now thanks to an even more changed appearance of Vijay, they are drawn close to each other. But they refrain from acting on their feelings in the hope that they will still one day be united with their respective childhood love. In search of the maid’s son, both of them together take a nostalgic drive to all the places they knew since childhood and feel something was connecting them both. Shalini and Vijay stop to eat ice cream at their favourite place where she sees a bat with Vijay which happens to be the bat she unknowingly gifted to a player who broke his own bat after India’s defeat against Pakistan. That day she also wanted to show Vijay’s pic on the giant screen but an unavoidable power failure kept them apart once again. Shalini also begins to feel that the person in front of her was reliable and decides to ask him for a favour, though not immediately.
An incident few days later, gets Vijay closer to Naik and he cleverly nabs him from his secret hideout. But the gangster is quick to escape from the cops, an art he has mastered over the years. The artist who drew Shalini’s picture inspired by the two pics Vijay had given him, meets Vijay after many years and asks him if he had met the girl. Vijay’s thoughts were overshadowed and he fails to grasp the truth. Shalini’s father dies of a heart attack and her mom forces her to get married. Shalini avoids the topic once again and a big argument springs up. Vijay is in the passport office to get his document and meets Shalini’s mom Grace Amelie. He recognises her but panics to ask about Shalini when he sees her holding a small child. But then he goes to her rescue when the authorities deny her an Indian passport.
When Naik’s goons occupy the land at the cricket academy, Rasool obliges them without a fight with the intention of keeping a close watch on their activities, and report them to the Commissioner as a part of his duties as a police informer. Naik smells a rat when his operations begin to take a hit and in the process discovers that Rasool is in fact Vijay, for whom they’ve been searching for years. He decides to finish him off this time without fail, and to draw him out, Naik attacks the kids at the academy. Meanwhile, Vijay receives a call from Shalini who tells him that she finally managed to trace him after twenty two years, and asks him to meet her immediately at a café opposite to the stadium. Chepauk once again became a witness to their ultimate meeting. But it was a fake Shalini arranged by Naik to eliminate Vijay. While she successfully executes the plan, Vijay went a step further to eliminate his nemesis, Naik with a daring step. A wounded Vijay appears in front of a crying Shalini who knows the truth and treats her darling with utmost care. Both the lovebirds unite at last and all the family members and friends visit them to wish a happy future together. Vijay’s suspension is lifted by the association and only God can understand his emotions after listening to the news. He plays a one-off match leading his team to victory but immediately announces his retirement to give way for aspiring youngsters.
Vijay continues his devotion for cricket and begins to train more youngsters and prepare them for all battles. Vijay is a classic case of an unsung hero creating a legacy in sport and perpetuating it. Chepauk also means lucky apart from cheerful. Very true to its name, it has been lucky for Vijay and Shalini after an innings of more than three decades.
This is their saga of love and destiny achieved through the game of cricket.
OPERATION COWBOY
‘EITHER I WILL COME BACK AFTER HOISTING THE TRICOLOR OR WILL COME BACK, WRAPPED INSIDE IT. BUT I WILL COME BACK FOR SURE’
It all began with India’s so called peaceful nuclear explosive test, operation Smiling Buddha in Pokhran which took every world nation by surprise and evoked mixed responses. India called it as peaceful owing to the zero emission of radiations but its secret execution escaping even the eye of Uncle Sam was a true milestone. And more than anybody else, the biggest reaction came from its warring neighbour whose president Bhutto threatened to make an atomic bomb of their own and name it the Islamic bomb. He named it project 706 and the secret project began in Kahuta, a place in close proximity to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Bhutto went to the extent of saying that they were even prepared to eat grass until they achieved it.
The task of executing the mission was entrusted to Abdul Qadeer Khan, who in the later years was known as the father of Pakistan’s atomic bomb. He worked in Urenco, Amsterdam and was commissioned to return immediately. But Qadeer made a clever exit with the vital blue prints and all the necessary documents to start a nuclear reactor. He had been planning his mission even before his nation’s premier announced it to the world. Kahuta and everything related to the mission was top secret. The CIA initially suspected technical support from France and financial aid from the other Muslim nations after America’s withdrawal of the financial aid they had been providing for more than a decade. Rameshwarnath Kao, the architect of R&AW handpicked fifty men from different spheres who were popularly known as the Kaoboys for a mission called as Operation Kahuta. The mission was to identify the secret nuclear facility and expose Pakistan and its plans of mass destruction to the world.
Bhutto asked his cricket board to send an invitation to Hyderabad Gymkhana to participate in the Moinuddaula Gold Cup held in Rawalpindi every year. He wanted it to be a friendly gesture that would divert all focus and attention off the atom bomb. He also reiterated that their Rawalpindi club will also participate in the Nehru Cup scheduled exactly a month later in Delhi. The Indian government agreed to both the proposals and also signed on a peace agreement to not attack each other after Israel’s attempt to bomb Islamabad. The Hyderabad Gymkhana team travelled to Islamabad to play their match. Gautam a very popular and flamboyant gully cricketer was the surprise package in the team, thanks to his coach Abid and also Gautam’s recent heroics that made the headlines.
The days to follow saw some dramatic and huge changes in the administration not just in India but in Pakistan and America as well. Bhutto was replaced by Zia ul Huq, Indira by Morarji Desai and Ford by Carter. America also placed a close watch on Pakistan which seemed to be determined to move forward with its plans at any cost. But the real drama unfolded after a friendly dialogue between the premieres of both the rival nations. Soon the budget for R&AW was drastically cut down which led to the resignation of its meticulous chief. But the most important thing was the suspension of Project 706 and the casual slipup of information about the presence of the Indian spying Kaoboys in their territory and around their secret facility. In the disguise of friendship, Zia was actually fossicking on India’s intelligence movements. Zia very quietly ordered his chief of the ISI to identify the Indian spies on the nuclear mission and execute them mercilessly. During the unveiling of Moinuddaula Gold Cup, both the premieres proposed a bilateral series to put an end to the seventeen year itch. The last series was in 1961 when Pakistan toured India. Pakistan invited India to play three test matches and three one dayers after a few practise matches. The club matches were to be played as scheduled earlier without any cancellation. By then, the match in Rawalpindi being played against Hyderabad Gymkhana was already in progress.
Gautam, the superstar stylish batsman of Hyderabad Gymkhana showed his usual class and clobbered the opposition. His very popular Gauti scoop brought huge cheers in Pakistan as well. But while risking an impossible third run, Gautam loses control and falls on the stumps and sustains a serious injury on his right leg. He is taken to the hospital and advised bed rest for a week. Though Gautam declares himself fit to play, the coach asks him to take rest and the opposition is very happy to see their nemesis away from play. There was a mad rush from the Indian fans for visas to Pakistan after the bilateral series was announced. The government sanctioned visas to three thousand fans and the series was already generating a lot of buzz around the world. Gautam’s friend Samba tried three different passports in different disguises only to get rejected every time. Gautam was more than excited about the series and was looking at all possible options to stay back and witness the matches.
Gautam walks up to a public phone booth and calls up a number in Hyderabad. Gautam was an orphan who learned life lessons the hard way; he grew up with his best friend Munna whose father and two brothers lost their lives serving in the Indian army. Munna also joined the Army and inspired many young men from their locality. Back in Hyderabad and before his trip to Rawalpindi, Gautam was known as a cowboy since he hired his horse Chameli for baarats during the wedding season. Cricket clubs in Hyderabad competed with each to bring Gautam onto their teams. He also had a huge fan in Chandni who liked him very much as did Gautam who although was very scared to express his feelings for her. Gautam would often always receive his friend Munna from the railway station when he was back on leave and the next few days were always fun as they both enjoyed movies, food, cricket, and swimming. Munna also trained young enthusiasts who were interested to join the army and Gautam always chipped in and paid for the applications of those who couldn’t afford them. The training sessions were fun as Gautam woke up the cadets very early and got them on their toes. On one occasion, someone meets Munna in a movie theater while they both were watching Hema Malini’s Dreamgirl, and hands over a parcel. Munna tells Gautam they are books which will help the trainees in their aptitude test. Munna gets called back to duty on an emergency basis before his vacation ends. Gautam misses his dear friend but soon travels to Pakistan for the club match. Munna’s mother packs him a large tin full of laddoos for his journey and stay in Pakistan. Gautam walked back from the phone booth recollecting all the fond memories of his dearest friend.
Gautam finds a friend in Abdul who is also admitted to the same hospital after attempting suicide. Abdul finds a good friend in Gautam who convinces him that his father will definitely agree to his marriage with the girl he loves. Someone walks in just then with the same news and Abdul sees Gautam as his lucky mascot. Abdul’s father Mehboob Khan is an Attorney General and had good relations with president Zia. Abdul manages to get a special permission to take Gautam home for the wedding. Mehboob Khan isn’t too happy to invite an Indian inside his home, a reflection of his nature and how suspicious he was of everyone. But he welcomes Gautam keeping his political plans in mind, just as he agreed to his son’s wedding. Gautam gives a stylish makeover to Abdul and mingles well with his family. Mehboob Khan asks some men from the ISI to perform a lie detector test on Gautam secretly from which Gautam walks out clean. After the baraat, Mehboob khan presents Gautam with a wooden clock as a return gift. He places a secret recorder and transmitter inside the clock to spy on Gautam. Gautam waves goodbye to everyone and walks out of the ceremony with no concrete plan in mind. Meanwhile, the slaughter of the Kaoboys continues with only a eleven of them remaining.
The bilateral cricket series begins with great pomp and is covered by the world press. Though the initial practise matches are played in the true spirit of the game, the venom starts to come to the fore slowly. The Indian eleven ends up playing against Pakistan’s thirteen which includes the umpires Shakoor Rana and Imtiaz. The Indian fans on the tour are visibly upset and are also afraid to go around during the matches. During the third one day being played in Sahiwal, Indian captain Bedi refuses to send his players back on to the field upset with the umpiring as well as the sledging and Pakistan is awarded the match. When some school children ask him for a donation for their school’s annual day function, Gautam gives them the wooden clock which he received as a gift from Mehboob Khan. The children in turn gift the clock to Qadeer, their chief guest for the occasion. Qadeer likes the clock and places it inside his private room.
Qadeer meets Gautam and asks him if he would like to stay back and witness the cricket series. Gautam sends a message to the R&AW headquarters telling them that the mission is on. Gautam as it turns out was recruited as spy and sent to Pakistan for Operation Kahuta. Qadeer Khan requests for an emergency meeting with president Zia and Riaz, the chief of the ISI. He surprises them with a proposal on how to deal with the remaining eleven Kaoboys. He shows them a drug manufactured by the CIA which he stole from the lab along with the blueprints of the nuclear plant. The CIA uses the drug to erase the memories of the spies and give them a new identity to spy against their own nation. Qadeer tells them that he also has a test subject with him to test the potency of the drug. Gautam is offered a contract to train the kids of the officers in cricket and earn some extra money for his stay. Gautam is taken inside Khan Laboratories which is hidden underground and is given a few injections under the pretext of immunization against endemic diseases. Over the next few days Gautam trains the officer’s kids while making a mental note of the place he’s being kept in. The drug administered to him leaves him feeling a little unwell.
Will Gautam manage to complete his covert mission and put an end to the nuclear designs of the terrorist nation?
What would be the fate of the eleven remaining Kaoboys? Will they be saved by Gautam and returned to safety?
Will the enemy who will stop at nothing succeed in turning the spy against his own motherland?
Is there a more sinister plan at play, as the two nations get ready for a friendly cricket series, to be held this time in India?