Nikhil & Jay

Descriptive Transcript

[Upbeat music]

DESCRIPTION: Two brothers open the front door of their home. The older brother, Nikhil, has brown hair and wears a red hooded sweater with a dinosaur emblem. The younger brother, Jay, has brown hair and wears a blue-and-green sweater.

NIKHIL: Hi, I'm Nikhil.

JAY: And I'm Jay!

NIKHIL: Here's a little story about where our family's from.

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil pulls down a map. Illustrations of their mother, Amma, and their father, Appa, appear. Amma has brown hair and wears orange glasses. Appa has brown hair and a brown beard.

BROTHERS [singing]: It starts in South India with Amma, our mom. She caught a plane to England and met our dad, Appa!

DESCRIPTION: Appa and Amma dance side by side while Appa holds a cup of tea. Amma wears a blue top with orange pants. Appa wears a red quarter-zip sweater and blue pants.

BROTHERS [singing]: She loves to dance and he makes the best cuppa!

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil and Jay dance together and with their parents.

BROTHERS [singing]: Oh! And then we came along. Oh! And this is our song. Oh-oh, Nikhil and Jay! Oh-oh Nikhil and Jay!

JAY [singing]: Nikhil likes… Missions!

NIKHIL [singing]: Jay likes… Being loud!

BROTHERS [singing]: We both love to dream!

DESCRIPTION: Miniature versions of Nikhil and Jay play on a carrom board. The brothers fly through the sky in a rocket ship.

BROTHERS [singing]: We can shoot a carrom pocket! Yeah, or blast off in a rocket! We make the greatest team.

NIKHIL: Wait.

JAY: What!?

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil and Jay hold up a tablet, displaying a video call with their grandparents, Ammamma and Thatha. Ammamma is wearing an orange-and-blue sari, and Thatha is wearing a beige shirt, with glasses hanging around his neck. Behind Nikhil and Jay are their other set of grandparents, Jim and Nana. Jim has gray hair and wears a green shirt. He is holding a plate of food. Nana has gray hair and wears a yellow high-visibility jacket. She is holding a crossing guard sign.

BROTHERS [singing]: There's Ammamma and Thatha! And Jim and Nana! And don't forget Max the cat!

DESCRIPTION: An orange cat licks his paw. The whole family dances together.

[Max meowing]

FAMILY [singing]: Oh-oh, Nikhil and Jay! Oh-oh, Nikhil and Jay, Oh-oh, Nikhil and Jay, Oh-oh, Nikhil and Jay!

[Upbeat music ends]

[Opening credits] “BBC”.

[Title] Nikhil and Jay.

[Credits continue] “Based on the books by Chitra Soundar.”

DESCRIPTION: Jay reads out the episode title.

[Episode title] “Nikhil & Jay and the Turmeric Superpower.”

[Credits continue] “Series Director: Jamie Teehan. Director: Nandita Jain. Written by: Andrew Brenner & Sumita Majumdar.”

DESCRIPTION: In their house, Jay plays with a monkey stuffed animal. He runs through the dining room and kitchen. Amma is on a video call with Ammamma, and Nikhi is sitting at the countertop.

[Jay laughing]

[Muttering]

JAY: What's that? Hm...

[Jay gasps]

JAY: You're hungry?! Okay!

[Max meowing as Jay runs]

[Jay laughing]

AMMAMMA: Hello, Jay cutie!

[Ammamma laughing]

[Unclear]

DESCRIPTION: In the kitchen, Appa catches a piece of toast as it pops out of the toaster. He puts the toast on a plate and slides it over to Nikhil. Jay holds his stuffed monkey and hides behind Appa.

APPA: Oh! Ah-ha! Toast is served. Here you go, Nikhil.

NIKHIL: Eh? No butter?

APPA: It's in the fridge.

NIKHIL: Okay.

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil opens the fridge and looks in different yellow containers.

NIKHIL: Mm... Huh?

DESCRIPTION: The first container is filled with peaches.

NIKHIL: Uh… That's not butter!

[Container popping open]

DESCRIPTION: The second container is filled with peas. Behind Nikhil, Jay holds up his stuffed monkey and pretends it is looking in the fridge with Nikhil.

[Nikhil sighing]

NIKHIL: Still not butter. Hm…

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil opens up another container. Inside is payasam, a pudding topped with nuts.

NIKHIL: Ah-ha!

[Container popping open]

NIKHIL: Ah! Why is nothing what it says it is?! This is payasam, not butter!

APPA: But you love payasam!

NIKHIL: Not on toast! I don't want pudding on my toast.

AMMA: Oh dear… Looks like somebody forgot to label everything.

[Appa laughing]

APPA: Well, somebody forgot to help me label everything.

[Amma laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Appa and Amma smile at each other. Ammamma speaks to Nikhil from the video call.

AMMAMMA: Treat it like a treasure hunt, Nikhil. Find the lost butter.

NIKHIL: Hm…

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil imagines red ‘X’s appearing on all the containers he has already opened. A green check mark appears on the last, unopened container.

NIKHIL: Nope. Nuh-uh.

[Check mark beeping]

NIKHIL: Ah-ha!

[Butter container popping open]

NIKHIL: Found it! Butter! Finally!

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil walks back over to his toast, but his slice of toast is missing a bite. Behind him, Jay runs out of the kitchen with his stuffed monkey.

[Jay laughing]

NIKHIL: Huh? Hm...

[Distant giggling]

NIKHIL: Eh…

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil looks over at Jay, who holds up his stuffed monkey.

[Jay laughing]

JAY: Chickpea was hungry.

[Nikhil sighing]

DESCRIPTION: Later, Nikhil is in the kitchen, labelling containers. Ammamma is on a video call beside him.

AMMAMMA: Super organizing, Nikhil! Wonder who you take after?

DESCRIPTION: Amma walks into the kitchen. Her arms are full of spice jars.

AMMA: Oh, he's just like me! Look! I'm labelling jars. Ooh!

[Amma laughing]

AMMA: Oh.

[Amma sighing]

AMMA: Where's my pen?! Aiyo-yo…

DESCRIPTION: Amma turns around to look for her pen. Her pen holds her hair in its bun. Amma leaves the kitchen.

[Ammamma laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Jay and Chickpea look at the spice jars on the counter. Jay is just tall enough to see over the counter.

[Jay gasps]

JAY: Whoa! So pretty…

DESCRIPTION: In Jay’s imagination, he dreams about sliding down hills made of spices. He pokes seeds in the sky, multiplying them into a mandala.

[Chiming]

JAY: Whoo-hoo!

[Jay laughing]

JAY: Eh?

[Popping and laughing]

JAY: Yeah!

[Laughing and popping]

JAY: Whee-yeah! Yeah!

[Crackling and popping]

[Jay laughing and squealing]

DESCRIPTION: In reality, Jay is staring at a jar filled with a yellow-coloured spice.

JAY: Yellow powder...

AMMA: We call it yellow powder, Jay, but its other name is turmeric.

AMMAMMA: Or, "mañcal" in Tamil.

JAY: Oh!

NIKHIL: Ooh!

DESCRIPTION: Over the video call, Ammamma holds up an orange-coloured root.

AMMAMMA: Look! This is turmeric before it's powdered.

[Brothers gasping]

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil puts a label on the turmeric jar.

NIKHIL: Un-huh, turmeric!

[Jay gasps]

JAY: Yay! Turmeric!

AMMA: Right. That's enough labelling for today. I've got a soup to finish.

DESCRIPTION: Amma walks off.

AMMAMMA: Eh-eh-eh! What about me, bano?

DESCRIPTION: Amma smiles, walks back into the kitchen, and brings the tablet with her. In the dining room, Jay is holding the turmeric jar and Chickpea. He smiles brightly and holds the jar close to his face.

JAY: Hm...

[Popping]

JAY: Wow...

[Angelic choir singing]

JAY: Look, Chickpea, this is turmeric!

DESCRIPTION: Jay holds the turmeric jar over Chickpea’s face. The jar’s lid comes off, and yellow spice splatters over Chickpea’s face.

[Jay gasps]

JAY: Ah! Oh-oh…

DESCRIPTION: Jay tries to rub the turmeric off, but it just spreads it over Chickpea’s face. Jay’s hand is covered in turmeric.

[Squeaking]

[Jay gasps]

JAY: Uh…

DESCRIPTION: Jay rubs his hands together. Both of his hands are completely yellow and covered in spice.

[Gasping]

DESCRIPTION: Jay flails his arms around and runs about the kitchen.

JAY: Oh no! Ah! Panic! Uh! Ah! Oh! Huh?

DESCRIPTION: Jay bumps into the counter, which sends a mango rolling. The mango rolls down the counter, tipping over all of Amma’s spice jars.

[Jay gasps]

JAY: Oh no! No! No! Oh-oh.

DESCRIPTION: The mango falls off the edge of the counter and falls towards the ground.

[Whistling]

JAY: Ah!

DESCRIPTION: Jay reaches down and catches the mango before it hits the ground. When he sets the mango on the counter, a yellow handprint remains.

[Jay gasping]

JAY: Oh… Everything I touch turns yellow. I've got... Turmeric superpower!

[Jay laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Jay laughs, picks up Chickpea, and runs into the living room. In the living room, Appa is vacuuming with headphones on. Music loudly blares from Appa’s headphones, and Appa sings along. He pretends to dance with the vacuum.

[Appa singing to self]

JAY: Huh?

[Appa singing to self]

[Jay laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Appa does not notice Jay. Jay runs through the house and into the washroom. In the washroom, Jay tries to wipe turmeric from Chickpea’s face with a towel, but it only spreads the spice and turns the towel yellow.

[Jay squeaking]

JAY: Oh no!

[Jay gasping]

JAY: Yellow and yellow makes more yellow! Ah!

DESCRIPTION: A little while later, Nikhil walks into the kitchen. The counter is filled with containers and fallen-over spice jars.

NIKHIL: Jay? Hm… Huh?

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil walks into the living room, where Appa is still singing and dancing to loud music in his headphones.

NIKHIL: Appa! Appa!

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil tries to get Appa’s attention by waving his arms and calling his name.

[Appa singing to self]

NIKHIL: Appa!

DESCRIPTION: Appa slides on his knees and pretends a broom is an electric guitar.

[Appa singing to self]

DESCRIPTION: Appa slides right in front of Nikhil. Appa stops his music.

APPA: Oh!

NIKHIL: Have you seen Jay?

APPA: Uh…

DESCRIPTION: At that moment, Jay peers around the corner and sees Nikhil and Appa. Jay quickly leaves before they see him.

APPA: Hm.

DESCRIPTION: Jay runs into the kitchen, where the washing machine is. He throws the towel into the washing machine.

[Twanging and tires squealing]

JAY: I can't stop my superpower, it's out of control! What do I do, Chickpea? Chickpea?

DESCRIPTION: Jay looks around, but Chickpea is not with him.

JAY: Chickpea!

DESCRIPTION: Jay looks up at the countertop, where Chickpea sits in front of a bowl of bananas. Chickpea’s turmeric-covered face blends in with the bananas.

JAY: Eh... Oh!

[Jay laughing]

JAY: There you are. I couldn't see you, because you are yellow, and the bananas are yellow.

[Jay gasps]

JAY: Ah! If I turn everything yellow, no one will notice the turmeric!

DESCRIPTION: Jay grabs Chickpea and runs out of the kitchen.

[Jay giggling]

DESCRIPTION: Just then, Appa walks into the kitchen, carrying a basket full of dirty laundry. He wears his headphones and sings along to loud music.

[Appa singing to self]

APPA [singing]: It's laundry time!

DESCRIPTION: A little bit later, Nikhil walks into the washroom. He notices small, yellow handprints on the sink, bathtub, wall, and laundry basket.

NIKHIL: Jay? Hm… Huh? Hm…

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil inspects a handprint. He leaves the washroom and runs into Jay and Chickpea in the hallway.

NIKHIL: Jay! Chickpea?

JAY: He's all yellow! I know, it's my turmeric superpower! Look! I turn everything yellow. The power is in my hands!

DESCRIPTION: Jay smiles and holds up his yellow-stained hands. Nikhil backs away from him.

NIKHIL: Uh… No. The powder is on your hands, Jay. And that's not good, is it?

JAY: Huh? No. But it's okay, because I'm going to turn everything yellow, so no one will notice all the yellow things!

NIKHIL: Uh…

DESCRIPTION: In Nikhil’s imagination, he pictures all of his toys turning yellow; the walls of his house turning yellow; and the entire planet turning yellow.

NIKHIL: Ah!

[Nikhil gasping]

NIKHIL: Ah! Huh? No! No! Huh?

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil’s imagination ends, and he turns to Jay.

NIKHIL: Eh, nuh-uh. Actually, we can't turn the whole world yellow, Jay! I don't want Star to be yellow. Or my toys, or my shoes!

JAY: I don't want my shoes to be yellow either. What am I going to do?! Ah!

NIKHIL: Maybe we should tell Appa what happened. He can clean anything.

JAY: Even turmeric superpowers?

NIKHIL: Hm... Yeah, I think so.

JAY: Whoo-hoo!

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil stops Jay before he runs off.

NIKHIL: Wait!

JAY: Ah!

NIKHIL: Don't. Touch. Anything.

JAY: Okay! High five?

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil face-palms himself. In the kitchen, a load of laundry spins in the washing machine.

[Washing machine whirring]

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil and Jay run into the kitchen. Max is standing on the table. In front of him is a pile of spilled turmeric.

[Meowing]

NIKHIL: Max! No!

DESCRIPTION: Max jumps into the pile of turmeric. It scares him, and he runs off, leaving paw prints throughout the house.

[Nikhil gasping]

NIKHIL: Too late.

DESCRIPTION: Without looking, Nikhil puts his hand on the table, right into the turmeric.

JAY: Uh-oh...

NIKHIL: Huh?

[Nikhil gasping]

DESCRIPTION: Nikhil’s hand is covered in yellow spice.

JAY: Now you and Max have the power too!

DESCRIPTION: Just then, Appa walks into the room. Jay and Nikhil hide.

[Appa singing to self]

[Nikhil and Jay gasping]

[Appa singing to self]

APPA: Oh! Washing's done.

JAY: Shall we tell Appa what's happened?

DESCRIPTION: Jay and Nikhil look around the corner of the counter and see Appa holding up a piece of clothing with a worried frown on his face. The clothing is stained with turmeric spots. A trail of yellow paw prints leads away from the laundry.

[Appa gasping]

APPA: No, no, no, no… Oh… Oh, I'm in so much trouble…

DESCRIPTION: Appa follows the yellow paw prints all the way to the table, where Max is sitting beside the pile of spilled turmeric.

[Appa gasps]

APPA: Turmeric! Oh, Max, what have you done?

[Max meowing]

APPA: Oh, you've turned the washing yellow!

[Max meowing]

APPA: And everything else! I need to get this washing out to dry. And then I'll worry about how to get rid of these marks.

DESCRIPTION: Appa leaves the room. Jay and Nikhil have hidden behind the counter chairs.

NIKHIL: Oh no! Appa thinks Max did it!

JAY: But Max didn't do it, we did it!

NIKHIL: Uh...

JAY: Okay, I did it. I suppose I should tell Appa. About my superpower! Hm. Or maybe it's okay if Max did it?

DESCRIPTION: From outside, Nikhil and Jay hear Amma calling out.

AMMA [from a distance]: Aiyo-yo! My dress! What happened?!

DESCRIPTION: Outside, in the backyard, Appa has hung up all the laundry to dry. Amma and Ammamma, on a video call, look at the stained laundry. Every piece of clothing is covered in yellow spots.

AMMA: Uh… Oh...

APPA: Max the cat! That's what happened!

[Ammamma laughing]

AMMAMMA: Looks like Max has been adding turmeric to the washing.

[Ammamma laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Amma looks at the door, where Max, Jay, and Nikhil stand.

AMMA: Max...

BROTHERS: Uh...

AMMA: Come here...

[Max meowing]

DESCRIPTION: Before Max can walk over to Amma, Nikhil and Jay run out.

NIKHIL AND JAY: No!

AMMA: Eh?

JAY: Wait, wait, wait! It wasn't Max! Amma, Appa, Ammamma, there's something I need to tell you!

NIKHIL: You might want to sit down for this.

APPA AND AMMA: Huh?

JAY: I was looking into the turmeric jar, and it spilled on me and Chickpea! I tried to clean it up with a cloth, but it just made everything yellower! Now everything I touch turns yellow! It's my turmeric superpower?

[Amma and Appa laughing]

AMMA: Well, your superpower has totally changed the design on my dress.

[Amma laughing]

AMMA: But I like it!

[Ammamma laughing]

AMMAMMA: Ah, a little bit of turmeric, a little bit of luck. That's what my Ammamma used to say.

JAY: Turmeric is lucky?! Whoa… Wait 'til you see this, Ammamma!

DESCRIPTION: Jay reaches for the tablet.

[Nikhil gasping] Don't touch the–

DESCRIPTION: Jay grabs the tablet and runs away with Ammamma on the video call.

JAY: Whoo!

[Jay laughing]

NIKHIL: Never mind.

[Ammamma and Jay laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Jay runs inside and sets the tablet down in front of the spilled pile of turmeric, a bunch of yellow hand and paw prints, and Chickpea, whose face is completely yellow.

JAY: We have a very lucky house!

DESCRIPTION: Amma, Appa, and Nikhil follow Jay inside.

[Amma sighing]

[Appa laughing]

DESCRIPTION: Appa holds up two jars of liquid.

APPA: Even more luckily, I learned how to clean up turmeric stains on the internet! Lemon juice and vinegar.

AMMA: Hm, are you sure that's vinegar?

APPA: Or is this...

[Appa sniffing]

APPA: This is coconut milk and--

[Appa sniffing]

APPA: Oil.

NIKHIL AND JAY: Hm… Hard to tell without the labels!

[Everyone laughing]

[Max Meowing]

ALL: Huh?

DESCRIPTION: Max jumps up onto the carrom board and covers it in yellow paw prints. The carrom board falls to the ground, and Max jumps onto the table.

[Max meowing]

[Gasping]

ALL: Max! Not the carrom board!

[Max meowing]

[Everyone laughing]

[Upbeat music]

[End Credits] “Cast. Nikhil: Shiv Senthilkumar, Jay: Sai Ganesh Nadesan, Amma: Charithra Chandran, Appa: Ben Harris, Mr. Awan: Tez Ilyas, Max: Harriet Carmichael. Casting: Brilliant Casting. Additional Voice Direction: Jessica Hann. Composers: Sidh Solanki & Shridhar Solanki. Lead Storyboard Artist: Rosie Cash. Storyboard Artist: Sophie Osinski. Script Editor: Becky Overton. Produced with funding from the Northern Ireland Screen & Cake. King Banana, Paper Owl Films for BBC. An Albert Certified Production.”