n a rainy Mumbai afternoon, seven-year-old Mohit and two of his friends are waiting in the parking area of their building for one of their pals. They are restless. They are also talking excitedly about their battle plans. The words they use are gibberish to adult ears. Each of them has a colourful plastic gizmo clutched in his sweaty little hands. As every metro child knows - though not many grown-ups do - this is a Beyblade.

Their accomplice soon joins them. They persuade the building watchman to part with his chair. Divided into teams of two each, they gather around the chair and on the count of 3-2-1 they send their Beyblades spinning on the chair. They scream themselves hoarse as the Beyblades, which are essentially spinning tops, spin and barrel into one another. After a few moments, Mohit emerges winner: his Beyblade has knocked the others off the chair.... more