Humiliated, Srinu decided to consult the only person he knew who could fix anything: his eccentric, seventy-something uncle, Brahmanandam. Brahmanandam wasn’t just a namesake of the legendary comedian; he genuinely believed he was the legendary comedian. He wore oversized checked shirts, had a permanent squint, and spoke in a frantic, high-pitched stutter.

The “ringtone lab” was a dusty cupboard under the staircase, filled with broken cassette players, a half-eaten bag of mixture, and a 1998 PC that wheezed like an asthmatic goat. Brahmanandam sat Srinu down and declared, “We will create the Volume One. Forthcoming!”

Srinu, grinning, pressed play. “Nuvvu chala tappu chesav… ippudu nene nee ringtone! KiKiKiKiiiiii!”