Chandra Nandini 13-15: The plot thickens - Page 7

My dear Ranjana,

The problem is that you are always so abundantly and extravagantly kind in your remarks about my posts that I am, firstly, at a loss as to how to respond to them, and secondly, not sure with how large a pinch of salt I should take them!😉

Thanks a ton, my dear, and I am so glad that the Rishyasaringa parallel struck a chord with you. That was the part I myself liked the best in this post.

I have read Rajaji's Mahabharata and Ramayana too as a child, and what used to irritate me about the former was his habit of referring to the great Duryodhana and the great Dusshasana, and detailing how the Kaurava thugs all landed up in the veer swarga. I never could understand that. But as for Rishyasaringa, I knew about him even before that, I do not remember how. Probably a story my grandmother told me, of course a suitably sanitised version!😉

Don't bet on the CVs being eager to profit from my posts! They would be highly irritated at being advised on how to improve their product, and would be thinking Apne aap ko pata nahin kya samajhti hai! Come to think of it, they are not doing too badly this time, and the plot is literally galloping along. My next post will be named Plot on a trot!😆

Shyamala Aunty

[QUOTE=kautilya04]

Fantastically written, especially the parts about the four blends, Rishyasringa and Padmanand.

The references to Rishyasringa in your posts evoke childhood memories of afternoons spent reading and re-reading Rajaji's Mahabharata, which was my introduction to that particular story. Needless to say, it took me some years to truly understand its crucial aspects😆. But like several other portions of the book, one of the opening lines of the Rishyasringa chapter has stayed with me - Virtue guarded only by ignorance is very insecure.

Okay, sorry for babbling on an unrelated topic😆.

Well, I don't have any opinions or analysis to offer. But if it's true that CVs and PHs often visit this site, I hope the people associated with this show have the good sense to make it mandatory for the script writers to study your posts in detail. Any writer worth his/her salt would probably give one of their kidneys (since they need their hands for writing😆) for analysis/feedback of this quality. If not that, it might just terrify them (and I mean that in the most appreciative way possible) into being more diligent and careful with their work. At the very least, your posts will drill into their heads that the viewer is not a vacuous entity that will gobble up rubbish if it's garnished prettily and served on a glittering platter.

Thank you for the PM :)

Thanks a lot, my dear Shailaja! Yes, because of my bunching up 2/3 episodes in one post, current discussions turn up ahead of time!

Your @blue is exactly the same as what I had written about Helena here; it is interesting to see how much we were on the same page on this one. Probably the Lalita Nair effect!😉

But her innate tendency to depend on another for succour, and to believe in his assurances - whether those of Malayaketu earlier or of Dushyant now - will persist. She will now switch all her faith from her deceitful lover to this new, unassuming, undemanding tower of strength.

But tonight's episode shows that it is not so simple as that. Helena might need emotional boosters, but she is very strong inside.

She also proves the correctness of what I had said to Sandhya in my response to the same question as your last one: that Chandragupta would explain the circumstances which made him take advantage of Helena and use the knowledge gained from her against her own countrymen, and she would understand. That is what happens tonight.

Nandini - in her case the loss would be far more brutal, so the thirst for vengeance would be that much more. One cannot extrapolate from her present light hearted behaviour to predict how she would react under such terrible pressures.

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: shailusri1983

Another incisive and brilliant analysis of the current scenario on our show. I have discussed all my issues in the previous post itself and whatever little doubts I might have had, this post addresses all of them to pinpoint perfection.

The quartet of Chandra, Chanakya, Padma, and Helena are doing a fabulous job for now on the show. They are literally ruling and running the show for now. Regarding Helena, I think despite all the brave, nonchalant and unruffled appearance she puts up for show, needs some crutch or emotional and mental straw to hold on to in order to complete herself. Putting up a show of independence and self-sufficiency and actually being independent and self-sufficient are two different things!

She needed that Argus (rabbit) to make her happy, Malay to love and be loved, and Chandra as her strong pillar of support in the darkest hour of her life. She is not the kind of person in whom happiness and fulfillment comes from within. She seeks external sources to make her happy and contented.

Two of these straws have deserted her. She is clinging on to Chandra with tripled vigor to make up for these double losses. Chandra will also cheat her for his higher goals. I dread to think how she is going to take that betrayal. We know that ultimately both Chandra and Helena will marry.

Chandra will be the pillar of support that she now sees him to be after their marriage. But will she find the softness and kindheartedness (We all know that she is a bit vicious and vindictive in her behavior as well) in her to forgive his initial betrayal and start her relationship anew with him, only time can tell! All the same I applaud the courage and bravery of Helena in trying to challenge existing stereotypes on what makes a perfect woman and creating an identity of her own.

Almost a parallel set up is being planned for Chandra and Nandini as well. Chandra is going to end up hurting Nandini as well by hurting her family for his higher causes. Nandini is all too chirpy and heart for now. She doesn't look like one who will go to extremes for her love or hatred. Will that change after their marriage?

This is all very interesting, Shailaja, especially the latter. I have heard of Gautamiputra Shatakararni and Vasishtaputra Pulameyi from my mother, a student of South Indian history, since I was a child. So the idea of a film about him is something to look forward to. Would it be only in Telugu or also in Tamil?

I was greatly amused by the collection of Nandamuri Balakrishna snippets you have listed, with the one about the murderous hen taking the first prize! 😆Unfortunately, I have never seen him onscreen. But I agree with you, he will not indulge in these far out gimmicks for a grand historical like the one being taken up. So you can relax!

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: shailusri1983

Aunty speaking of movies, there are two movies I am eagerly awaiting. The first is of course the second part of Bahubali and the second is the Telugu historical epic movie Gautamiputra Shatakarni on the life of a famous Shatavahana King of the same name.

The first one is going to be excellent, but it is the second one I have my doubts about. The director of GPS is really excellent in writing and directing period movies and historicals. I remember one period movie on the Second World War, Kanche directed by this director. It was a really awesome movie. But it is the lead actor, Nandamuri Balakrishna whose 100th movie it is that I have my doubts on.

Most of his movies are Telugu versions of Rajnikantish stuff. I remember a few juicy titbits from his movies like there is one movie where he sends his pet hen which murders his enemies after some sort of animal hypnotism, one movie where he shoots an arrow in a desolate forest and it goes and hits his enemy in a speeding jeep miles away from the place, another where he kills one poor chap just with his eye sight, another movie where he flicks off bullets fired with a stick, etc.

But I am assuming that if the actor himself chose such an unusual subject for his 100th movie, he would have done it not for commercial box office success but to give a memorable movie as his 100th movie. So I am keeping my fingers crossed. After both these movies release, if CN is still running, I am practically sure there will be several lift offs from both these movies.

My dear Prem,

My comments are in blue.

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: myviewprem

The purely political

In order to achieve any real goal in life you must become like an yogi fully foccused on it. Chandra now is like an yogi his goal free mother india from its enemies and no family, no love, nothing can stop him. He is like arjuna who sees eye of bird rather than the bird or tree like others.

The purely personal:

Once porus died, chandragupta attacked punjab and annexed it when malekeytu was ruling it. Malekeytu is more interested in a wife and dowry she will get instead of securing himself and his state. I still do not understand how he will get magadh if he marries nandini, padmanand will give his empire to his elder son right not youngest daughter as dowry?

I even did not understand why malekeytu was playing with helena, she cannot get him anything because she is not alexanders sister she is just his commanders daughter. Or did alexander treat helena as sister and willing to help anyone she told to help? for ex malekeytu to get magadh. Anyway alexander once having magadh will keep it himself why he will give to maleyketu in fist place. So why was maleyketu playing with love love game. Was it the pleasure of using a greek lady an obsession with white skin girls?

He thinks that she can plead his case with Alexander for support in a war to conquer Magadha. There is so much talk that Alexander treats Helena like his daughter, that would make this a plausible idea. As for the Magadha succession idea. I have trashed it in detail in my post.

The personal that has now become political:

Helena is political novice and not street smart as i expected her to be. She is stupid enough to risk her life to save maleyketu and believe he loves her. Now which indian king of that time married a greek or outside princess hardly anyone. So what makes her think she can marry maley?

Look, there is no point in asserting that no Indian king married a foreigner. Where were the chances for any such marriage before the Macedonian invasion? There were no foreigners around earlier for any Indian king to marry!

Second stupidity is she wants alexander to attack punjab and magadh to teach lesson to maley and nandhini. Oh come on helena why will alexander attack his own vassal porus? and right now his army is sick and tired how will he win over magadh if he listen to you? Anyway you are just his commanders daughter not alexanders mother(whom he loved and obeyed) or his sister that he will fight to take revenge for your broken heart

She is not talking of Alexander attacking the Punjab at all, or even Magadha, but only Parvatak. So there is no question of his attacking Porus all over again. The question of the Macedonian army being exhausted is a separate issue. How does it come into this, or how does Magadha come into it anyway? You are mixing things up.

This apart, Prem, this is not stupidity. She is distraught and is not thinking straight, that is all.

Third stupidity of helena is she is teaching chandra greek war tactics how foolish? How will this be of use to defeat maleyketu and magadh stupid girl. Chandra will use your teachings to defeat your own dad and alexander. Because maleyketu and magadh has more indian soldiers and use traditional indian warfare method not greek war methods.

Again the point at issue is different. Chandragupta is arguing that by learning and using the superior Macedonian fighting techniques, he will be able to defeat the conventional Magadha army. Why should she not believe that, when she is also keen on working with him to secure her revenge on Malayaketu?

After such stupidity once she sees chandra used her like maley she wuill cry hoarse saying that chandra cheated me i want revenge uff such foolish girls chandra got as wife one helena one nandhini

As for his turning eventually against the Macedonians, I had written to Sandhya earlier today that Chandragupta would explain the reason why to Helena and she would understand. This is exactly what happens today. Helena now knows what his complete goals are, and she still does not turn against him.

The two Cs:

No matter how clever you are you make mistakes. Chandra has not observed greek soldiers following him, shows diff between a young man chandra and a experience chankya. Chandra is now getting more comfortable in his own ability and telling chankya what to do? You can say young blood but if he has to be emperor he cannot be so naive in decision making. Luckily chankya will guide him all life in politics on his own chandra would be making wrong decisions

He is still only an impetuous fledgeling. He has a long way to go before he becomes the emperor. And don't emperors too make bad mistakes at times?

Chankya wants chandra to kill padmanand in porus camp, good idea but will it not be easier to kill padmaanand as he goes back to magadh on way in some dense place where his gaurds are distracted. Chankya is too impatient to achieve his goal, comes from fact that he is nearing 50s, waited too long to free india and is getting old now scared that he may die waiting to fulfill his dreams, chandra is causual as he has age on his side and not in hurry.

An interesting take on this point.

Chandra's army:

Yes aunty, i was reading a book on magadh empire. It says chandra started his quest to win magadh at age 18 years and only succeded at age 28 and then took another 3 years to win magadh. In between he lost many wars, ran with enemies searching for him everywhere, lived in forests among lion herds (you see magadh symbols are lion). Chandraguptas life story is like babar and ghenghis khan, i have read all three and i can see no king had a tougher life in human history than ghenghis khan, babar and chandragupta(not even humayun, shivaji). I can only salute the courage of this young man who saw death so many times in front escaped somehow and still went on creating one new army after another and attacking greeks and magadh. hats off i do not think in modern history anyone has done something so remarkable as CGM, Ghenghis khan and babar. Any lesser mortal would have just given up truly hats off. I request all to read about these three, you will get inspiration.

Aunty you really have a voracious and pictographic memory. You still do remember the Lalita Nair effect. If she would have been doing an analysis of CN, she would sound very similar to you. I sat through her lectures for two consecutive years. Many of the literary classics which we used to read and analyse along with her used to sound similar to your analysis of CN or CAS. That's why we are more often than not on the same side of the page. I will watch today's episode as well before I venture my own two cents on the same. As far as Nandini is concerned, we really have not seen much on the show to predict how she will turn out to be in the future. Her layers are still under the wraps I guess. Not sorry to have it that way either. My five or ten minute Chandrakya quota per episode is enough to make my day.

Originally posted by: sashashyam

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Thanks a lot, my dear Shailaja! Yes, because of my bunching up 2/3 episodes in one post, current discussions turn up ahead of time!

Your<font color="#0033FF"> @blue </font>is exactly the same as what I had written about Helena here; it is interesting to see how much we were on the same page on this one. Probably the Lalita Nair effect!😉

But
her innate tendency to depend on another for succour, and to
believe in his assurances - whether those of Malayaketu earlier or of
Dushyant now - will persist. She will now switch all her faith from
her deceitful lover to this new, unassuming, undemanding tower of
strength.

But tonight's episode shows that it is not so simple as that. Helena might need emotional boosters, but she is very strong inside.

She also proves the correctness of what I had said to Sandhya in my response to the same question as your last one: that Chandragupta would explain the circumstances which made him take advantage of Helena and use the knowledge gained from her against her own countrymen, and she would understand. That is what happens tonight.

Nandini - in her case the loss would be far more brutal, so the thirst for vengeance would be that much more. One cannot extrapolate from her present light hearted behaviour to predict how she would react under such terrible pressures.

Shyamala Aunty



</font>

Not to fret, my pet! Sasha was a big smart aleck too!

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: ---Khushi---

😆😆

My dear dear Shyamala Aunty...though this term is not very flattering, yet, aapne bola hai toh I love it.. 😆

Will keep trying till I get it right😃

The movie will really be something to look forward to. I don't know much about his history. The director of this movie is acclaimed for his meticulous and off-beat movies. I don't know if they are going to dub it in Tamil or they are releasing it just in Telugu. They might as well do it seeing that it is Balakrishna's 100th movie and a very prestigious venture for him. Aunty I hope you are aware that Balakrishna is the son of the Ace Telugu Actor, and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N.T. Rama Rao. So no more murderous hens lurking in the background for us. It will be just political and historical intrigue with a lot of battle and action scenes. I also expect that there will not be much distortion of history either as the director at the helm of affairs is very methodical in his research for the movies he takes. Most of his movies are for the informed audiences. Not everybody will like them or even appreciate them.

Originally posted by: sashashyam

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">This is all very interesting, Shailaja, especially the latter. I have heard of Gautamiputra Shatakararni and Vasishtaputra Pulameyi from my mother, a student of South Indian history, since I was a child. So the idea of a film about him is something to look forward to. Would it be only in Telugu or also in Tamil?

I was greatly amused by the collection of Nandamuri Balakrishna snippets you have listed, with the one about the murderous hen taking the first prize! 😆Unfortunately, I have never seen him onscreen. But I agree with you, he will not indulge in these far out gimmicks for a grand historical like the one being taken up. So you can relax!

Shyamala Aunty


</font>

Saraswati Aunty, I actually ran to google what a Stradivarius fiddle is. Shailu looks a bit sheepish for not knowing this. What will you think of me? I actually learnt violin as well for one and half years without knowing what a Stradivarius violin is. I knew in instruments made of wood, instruments made out of older wood have a finer sound quality, perfection of notes, and finer timbre. This was a new one even for me!

Originally posted by: karkuzhali

<font size="4" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">"In fact,he plays Helena like a violin- a Stradivarius for choice!- right thru.👏
</font>

<font size="4" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">????</font>

<font size="4" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">Shyamala,</font>

<font size="4" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">My question marks were because I had a doubt, whether you meant he was playing a second fiddle to her. But that didn't make sense to me..</font>

<font size="4" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">But with your explanation of the Stradivarius violin( about which I already searched and found information), it is easy to imagine..</font>

<font size="4" face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">He is going to use her and will be proud to possess her, like the proud owner of the Stradivarius Violin...</font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4">When you start learning to play violin, you will not find it(the instrument)very comfortable with you..But after undergoing many practising sessions, it will "obey" your command and will never betray you!</font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4">Akka, you are the only person with the curiosity to ask me about this fascinating subject. I wanted to see how many would display such interest, but there has been no one but you! Not even Sandhya or Khushi, who are focussed only on the unfamiliar words I use!😉</font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4">
</font>

<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"> Thank You!</font>

<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="3">Affectionately yours</font>

<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="3">Saraswathi Akka.</font>