DEM 4th week pros and cons
The serial is finally coming into its own and gaining pace. The story is having a logical sequence. The only thing is melodrama must reduce like Salim running in palace to save anarkali from Ruqaiah. Excuse hes crown prince, is and will be commander of his army and next emperor. No one will respect or listen to his orders if he behaves like this. Like Akbar said a prince has a proper way of behaviour and protocol which he cannot exceed, hes not a small child. Or abrupt ending of scenes etc like Salim goes to get hakim but meets hamida etc when did hakim come what did he tell salim about anrakalis health?
Pros
Last week Salim had got angry at Murad and raised hands on Akbar in lunch time. This week first thing after getting up he goes to Jodha's place the reason he gives was searching for anarkali. But actually reason is he is scared what his parents thinking of his drama in lunch time. This is typical reaction of kids. If you misbehave or fight with a parent and they do not come to meet or talk to you you start getting anxious after few hours and than try to go and meet them giving different reasons just to see are they angry with you, hows their mood etc. Thats what Salim does goes to check whats his mom thinking of him raising hands on Akbar. Yet his child ego does not allow him to say sorry to daddy or mom for his drama at lunch table.
Salim proposal which is outright rejected by her again brings out his ego, how dare she reject him a crown prince? First he drinks than does drugs anything to forget anarkali which he cannot. Then he directs anger at anarkali first makes her jealous in hamam with firdaus, than make her stand in cold Yamuna waters so shes forced to confess, but when shes almost drowns thats when his ego leaves him. Finally when he sees her almost drowning he realizes how much he loves her, when you love someone even if they reject you, you will find happiness in their happiness although you may be sad. Thats what salim does, he tells her he will not pursue her anymore she can go back home. But of course a failed lover cannot accept rejection and the first thought he gets is to end his life in Bhul Bhulaiya. I thought Bhul Bhulaiya is in Delhi, how did it go to agra? Here the best scene is leaving his sword at his mothers feet when shes asleep and leaving for Bhul Bhulaiya. The problem with this serial is they miss out on great scenes, people are expected to imagine scenes. Like Salim leaving sword at Jodha's feet means he wanted to meet his mom one last time before going to end life in Bhul Bhulaiya but since shes asleep he left his sword as message to her that hes going. Anarkali finds him in Bhul Bhulaiya and saves him from snake but gets bitten. Salim whose lots in pain of rejection comes back to his senses seeing the love of his life near death and saves her risking his life and gets her back to palace. Maids, ministers, gaurds all shocked crown prince carrying a maid back to palace.Jillan is more bothered about anarkali's maan and salim's shaan? But Salim tells her you are poor by fate and i am prince but do not make me God. True that we start treating royals, ministers, rich people like God even in 21st century even if they are wrong or bad is it not?
Salim is not corrupted by power and prestige yet. Hes an young adult high on ideals and yet unaware of realities of life. No wonder he dares love anrakali and hopes to declare it to world without understanding consequences. But the servants, ministers are all shocked at his audacity to carry anrakali in his arms and risk his life by sucking her poison. Hamida cannot believe her grandson can risk his life for a mere maid, after all maids life has no much value. Like in 21st century poor people are voiceless and their life do not truly matter same way 15th century maids and dancers must not have had much value too. Salim calls anarkali to forest on hunt, he makes her put ghunghroo to firdaus feet as Salim remembers all past week scenes with anarkali. Then suddenly he stops and tells everyone to go out and asks do you love me yes or no, anarkali says no he smashes bottle of drinks on ground. Salim asks do you pray for me and anarkali says no Salim asks will you become my malika and she says never and leaves. Salim shouts stop see my death now and lights fire to tent. Anar shout come out you will burn he says i am burning in your love its best today i become ashes anar runs to bring him out and sayscome out now. He refuses and says first say do you love me.
Ruqaiah is more clever she realizes that Salim loves anarkali and targets him mocking him for falling for a maid. Hamida instead of targeting salim for loving anarkali, calls anarakali and humiliates her calling her of less value than her shoe. She also orders her out of Salims life. But anrakali knows Salim is obsessed with her not easy to get him off track. Only way to get him off track is to die. So she plans to touch the throne and get death sentence. Again salim saves her from Ruqaiahs warth and gives her ultimatum to accept that she loves him. Hes back to former mode of troubling her emotionally by making her do maid thing so she accepts her love for him. But anarkali will not budge leaving him only one option, to threaten his own death to get her to confess love.
This week was dominated by Salim and his junoon for anarkali. But hopefully from next week Salims other relations get some more screen time. Like his relation with his father, brothers or grandmother. Somehow i feel story going too fast and speed may thrill but steady and slow wins race. Writers must put some scenes of Salim with other family.
DEM Week 3 Review
The real pros of this show is Akbar, Hamida and Ruqaiahs characters as standalone. Akbar no matter what situation tries to maintain dignity of emperor. Like when Salim raised hands on him, he could have made it big ego and prestige issue, same way how Salim made one slap from Akbar in childhood as a big ego issue till now. But Akbar is mature and after a few hours or times of anger he forgets Salim's misbehaviour. And not only that he tries to better their relation by making a painting of both together, just to convey message to Salim may be that we are family.
Hamida too stands out in many ways. Shes like doing fire fighting between father and son with maturity. Like when Akbar gets angry after taming elephant, Hamida says you must not defeat family- obviously Salim by force, but win them with love.
Ruqaiah is only one behaving completely royal till now. She does not let go off her royal haughty behaviour even for few seconds. In Salim and Akbars presence she is wooing them with her words, they just cannot guess her real intentions both. But Hamida catches her well and even says "Why are you so bothered about Salim.
The real ace of this serial is the relationship between Salim-Jodha and Akbar-Jodha. Whenever Jodha and Akbar are together, you can observe love and care and respect for each other. Whether they are in court, bedroom or in midst of animals on ground their interaction generates interest. Salim and Jodha too have a great bonding whenever they are together. Whenever mother-son are on screen you can make out genuine love and care for each other. And if there is one person Salim is worried may be upset with his behaviour its Jodha. Like after raising hands on Akbar, he asks her if shes angry with him and when she says No hes like surprised and happy.
Cons
The biggest con of this show is the story and hero. Look at any great movie/serial it has a great hero. People come to watch an hero(by hero i do not mean an actor but character). In this serial Salim is the hero, but hes hardly acting like one. What do you mean by an hero? Hes one who has values, who has admirable nobel qualities and outstanding achievements. OK Salim went to war for 12 years and won many wars but what about his nobel qualities and values. Hes always sulking about father, brother, palace life etc. Whys he always sitting in palace, cannot he go out to the city, see what people are up to and solve issues, help his father in running empire etc. No hes busy drinking wine and running after anarkali. A person in love will not forget his professional and personal responsibilities. Salim is crown prince, he has to do his job in court and even be the elder son to his father, take care of his mother as her only child, guide his younger brothers out of their bad ways etc do something. But all Salim is bothered is anarkali.
The second issue of this serial is abrupt scenes and no logical sequence in story. Suddenly salim and Akbar are doing a painting, abruptly Salim leaves without informing Akbar etc there is no continuity in scene and story. Audience has to guess what may have happened? There should be logical sequence of story and character missing here. Actually the audience must first connect emotionally with character and than only they will hook to serial no matter how bad and illogical script. Here that emotional connect is not formed with any character in show least with hero and heroine. We have no idea when, how Salim fell in love with anarkali?
The third issue is the heroine. Anarkali does not look like a charming soft innocent dancer girl who was forced by society and circumstance to become a Rakassa or maid. Audience cannot sympathize with her while in Mughal e azam the audience sympathize with anarkali if not Salim when love affair starts.
Week2 Review: DEM
Pros
The real pros of the week was Salim coming back home. Although Jodha's dramatic hunger strike was a bit odd. Yet when Salim came his reunion with his mother ensured life coming full circle. Here i think the writers in childhood should have showed Jodha-Salim bond in childhood more. Than their reunion would have been more impactful. Like in childhood if Jodha would have showing singing him lori as he slept on her lap and than when he returns as adult she mentioned the same it would be more impactful. Or if Jodha would have shown feeding Salims favourite food to Salim and now that Jodha was on hunger strike if Salim fed her food to break her fast that would have really made impact. But since childhood is half baked relationship between Jodha-Salim some how the reunion felt not complete. Because audience has no clue how Jodha-Salim relation was in childhood.
Here i think Salim-Akbars relation was shown a bit more in childhood so we can understand why Salim is angry on Akbar. Like Akbar is strict and teaches him to face fear in front of tiger, elephant etc and also when he drank wine how Akbar slapped him and sent him off without knowing why he drank? Etc. And when Akbar went to war tent how Salim wants to hug him but Akbar ignores etc
So viewer can understand why Salim so angry with Akbar? We still cannot understand whats Akbar problem to show a bit of love for Salim especially as a kid? Yes making Salim into a great warrior and future emperor is fine but childhood will not come again. Thats when bonds are formed between parents and kids(or siblings or friends etc) and if something goes wrong in that time its tough to get normal relationship later. Thats what happened to Akbar and Salim. Salim made Akbar known a soldier has returned by giving him his sword, a son has not returned to father. That was a beautiful metaphor scene. Akbar wanted to hug his son after 12 years but Salim the soldier returned not Salim his son. Salim was just giving tit for tat to Akbar, he never hugged him in Kabul war tent and he gave him sword in ladoo box so Salim returned the sword with enemies blood on it after 12 years. Now that sword was not put by Akbar, but the problem between Akbar and Salim is perennial father-son problem in every century even 21st century they do not talk or express feelings openly. Since they do not freely talk and avoid each other or let ego rule their bond, that helps enemies to bring difference and misunderstanding between both.
The best scene of week(or the serial till now) was Jodha-Salims reunion scene. In a single stroke all the mediocre drama and blunders were nullified or rectified in the reunion scene. The best part of that scene was there were not many dialogues from Salim or Jodha. Only their face and eyes conveyed the pain of separation for 12 long years. Jodha was scared when Salim left that he will be angry with her too but Salim dispelled all her fears when he came back immediately on hearing about his mother's fast. And he came back to the temple where Jodha had gone to pray and wait for his return. The only words uttered by Salim was "Ma and by Jodha was "Salim but those two words were enough to convey the bond and feelings to each other. Even Mahabhat and Jillan could not stop their tears seeing the long due reuion of mother and son. I guess Mahabhat and Jillan are the very few who know the pain Salim or Jodha underwent at being separated from each other. Atleast Akbar here was shown a bit concerned at Jodha's vow to walk barefoot and pray to Kanha till Salim comes back to her. Otherwise we hardly saw him consoling her or doing much for her in these 12 years to soothe her pain. The only other thing Jodha told Salim was "take me home. When Salim left Jodha had told Anarkali that "the palace has become empty without her kanha and that empty palace had finally turned home today with her kanha Salim's return.
The best scene continues further when Salim takes his mother to her bedroom and makes her sit on bed and kneels beside her. Both are not sure how to start the conversation after 12 long years. We are not sure if Jodha sent Salim letters in war field may be not. The first thing Jodha observes are the wounds of his hand and face that he received in war field and questions him. Salim does not blame his father for his wounds but says they are rewards a warrior gets for winning wars. Jodha cannot believe her son is with her after 12 years and remembers his childhood when he would come and sleep on her lap and today hes become so big that hes taking care of his mother. Salim says these 12 long years he only closed his eyes but never slept. In that one sentence he told his mother the pain he underwent for 12 years being away from her and his family. Thats the best part of diff between Akbar and Jodha in the reunion scene. Akbar is happy that his son has returned as soldier but Jodha sees his wounds. As an emperor Akbar only bothered of future emperor and empire. Hes not bothered about Salims mental and physical wounds at all. As father you must be bothered about profession of your sons future but what sort of obsession is this? Cannot Akbar just ask how you are? How did you spend 12 years in battle etc? But Jodha as mother sees only his wounds and trauma. What a contrast between father and mother? I think Akbar is a bit over strict with Salim, he spews dialogues like Salim is my dil ka tukda too but his atttude does not display any much concern for Dil ka tukda. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Here all war and no childhood making Salim a ziddi boy.
Salim remembers the past with Akbar slapping him and sending him away for 12 years and the knife he gifted in sweet box etc and gets upset and goes far off and stands. It will be really tough for Akbar to console a traumatic Salim. As an adult if someone hurts you or misbehaves with you its more easy to forgive and forget. But in childhood when you are dependent on others especially parents, and if they do something that traumatizes you or which a person thinks is wrong and gave him lots of pain than kids never forget. Thats what happening to Salim here. Being sent away for 12 years away from mother and family, not having anyone to protect and care for him in big bad world of wars where even adults find difficult to survive, having strict task masters like Man Singh all seems to have had deep impact on Salims psyche. Akbar is in big trouble, a volcano is waiting to burst out spewing fire and ashes from Salim. Now if he opposes Anarkali and Salims relation, Salim will get back at him with double the anger that includes for what wrong Akbar did in past. Akbar will not help situation by not thinking like a father but a emperor. So a mega clash is awaiting audiences in future. Jodha asks "What are you thinking and Salim hides his thoughts from mother and says "Nothing i have grown up and have to take care of you from now on. Jodha says "For world you grown up and big but for her he remains a child only. Kids are most vulnerable and innocent and at that time they require support of family especially parents which Salim never got, so he has lot of emotional baggage. Now Salim has decided he will get back at daddy by defying him for everything whether its to snub his hug or to walk off his welcome party in between. Honestly even in 21st century if son behave that way in public daddy's will slap shit out of them but Akbars bearing all this?
Here a special mention must go to Mahabhat. Mahabhat was Salims friend from childhood. I doubt in real history he went to war field with Salim till he was 15-16 years old, thats age boys joined army. But anyways atleast he does not judge Salim and keeps him in good jester and mood. Salim seems to love his friend very dearly and tells him his most inner thoughts. In future when Akbar and Salim clash will take place, Mahabhat will side with Salim for sure. Lets see how Akbar and Mahabhat relationship develops in future. Salim had many friends but three of his friends were closest to him and one of them was Mahabhat Khan, the other his milk brother and another his cousin a Rajputh. Mahabhat was from Persia and was in army of Salim. How they became friends is a mystery because neither was Mahabhat a royal or a milk brother or a childhood friend of Salim. They must have met as teenagers or adults only in army. Mahabhat Khan was Khan i khana of Jehangir aka Salim a very big post in court(Bairam Khan was Khan i Khana for Akbar). So he must have been very close friend of Salim to get that position. Its like commander in chief of mughal army post.
Cons
The biggest con of story is Salims love for anarkali (without any logic). Whys Salim so much in love with anarkali without real reasons? Ok she saved his life but an prince will have so many saving and guarding their life. Or is it his loneliness that made him such big fan of anarkali. Somehow his love for anrakali has no logic or not convincing right now. Lets see how this love progresses from friendship to love?
The second big put off is anarkali herself. First anarkali is not that great looking that audience will be convinced that a crown prince will be ready to die or go to war for her. Next her attitude is like a Queen than a maids daughter and Rakassa. Its like Salim is not prince but commoner and anarkali is a princess when they both get together. Somehow anarkali is not convincing as a maid cum Rakassa
Third issue whys anarkali doing all jobs in mughal fort right from messenger to Akbar, maid to Jodha, arranging Salims bedroom etc is she maid or Rakassa i mean dancer? Whys she not dancing etc practice dance etc Its confusing whats anarkali exactly maids daughter, Rakassa or a admin incharge in agra fort.
Few ppl wanted me to do first weeks analysis
Pros
1) Actors are biggest factors of success apart from script writers. One thing this serial has got right is that majority actors fit the part.
Akbar as emperor is not only a strict father to Salim but looks magnificant and authoritative in court and when required. The actors booming voice is a very big asset to play Akbar. Till now everyone would remember Mughal e azam for Akbars commanding presence hence forth it may be this actor. He is owning the role completely(do not know his name). The other biggest plus point is actress playing Jodha, she is dignified and poised in her interaction with Akbar and others, very soft and sweet with a naughty or a sulking kid Salim and her action was brilliant to defeat Turks attacking Salim. The main leads may be Salim and anarkali but Akbar and Jodha are like parallel leads too. Because this story is more about a son loving a courtesan and wanting to marry her but parents opposing it as society norms and their class do not allow such unions. So both Akbar and Jodha are parallel leads in show than supporting roles as their reactions to Salim's love affair forms crux of story more than anyone else.
The kid actors Salim and anarkali are good too but their dialogues are too adult than a childs. Now which kid will start searching and get so upset that a new friend of his that too a maids child is being sent off from kingdom. Or which royal prince will break protocol and play with a maids child no matter what? Royals even in 21st century will maintain friend circles with someone their own class and with royalty only. So in 15th century Salim wanting to play with anarkali after meeting her once in desert is a bit unbelievable. And anarkali always saving Salim instead of his gaurds etc is also unbelievable. The other actors are fine but some are too loud like Ruqaiah and Salima.
2) Sets are very good and grand and aesthetically done
3) story is moving fast i think too fast
Cons
1) Characters are too negative or too positive in illogical way. Like why Ruqaiah wants Salim dead when she has no child? Why hamida who is a commoner hates anarkali friendship with Salim? Why Akbar is soo ok with Salims friendship with anarkali? Abul Fazl is good but i think he may turn negative later especially after Salim slapping him in court i am sure he will be baying for his blood deep inside although outside he will act loyal.
2) I think Salims relation with his parents and step mothers should have been shown more to get an emotional connect with the characters at later stage when they grow up. Right now its all hazy not once we saw how Jodha was with Salim. I mean they both hardly interacted except hugs now and than. Only Akbar is training Salim but Jodha was never shown doing anything for Salim either asking him about his studies or weapons training or how friends treat him or takng care of him. Daniyal and Murad treat him humiliatingly, how Khannum taunts him without reason. Why Jodha does not know all this? I mean Salim is not more than 10 years old and a kid will share this with mother in such small age. If Salim is introvert by nature does not reveal anything than as parent its both Akbar and Jodha duty to ask him if someones bullying him. Hes a small child and all parents ask this but as parents they both are not much interested whats happening in his life.
3) I think they should have had some friends for Salim. Hes a kid and has no friends of his age, only step brothers who taunt him and try to kill him. No wonder he wants anarkali to play with him as hes very lonely
4) They should have introduced Man Singh by now. Because Man Singh must be his mentor when he goes to war field. Abul Fazl is just a writer and not warrior. Now that Salim is packed of to war field he again gets lonely.
5) How Akbar once he saw salim drinking on his throne without asking any clarification etc just hit him and announced to pack him off to war field for 12 years. I mean even accused is given one chance to prove his innocence. And here accused is a small child less than 10 years old, how Akbar just announce banishing from agra for 12 years. Just previous day attempt on Salims life and he almost drowned in Yamuna and next day you banish him for drinking. Here how Salim is so innocent his brothers say its a miracle drink and he drinks it believing them. Can a prince be so innocent? Does he not know whats hard liquor? How come his parents have not told him whats hard liquor? Cigarettes etc and how to stay away from them etc Or kids are smart enough they find everything through their friends but here Salim has no friends. Has salim not attended any party in court where liquor is served? He is not a small baby big enough to know about liquor etc And he could have defended himself saying his brother gave him liquor saying its miracle drink. Akbar never bothered to ask and Salim kept quiet. If this is how father-son behave in future lots of misunderstanding galore. Because father never ask right questions or bothers to check truth and son never bother to clarify his side of story.
Shiv Shakti
Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon
