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JALAL-JODHA
As expected, HB is more than thrilled about the fact that Jodha and Jalal are going to finally be visiting Ajmer together. She's pretty sure their differences shall be ironed out by the time they return
'They're together, but not one yet!' Just as the queen mother finishes her final statement to Gulbadan Begum -
- in the palace gardens - in a bid to hastily exit from his presence, Jodha rushes past Shehenshah and slips on the slush in front of him. Thankfully, the instinctive Emperor catches her on time.
Following a few moments dominated by an awkward eyelock between them, the King props her up gently and then lets out his characteristic smirk
'If you don't place your steps carefully, you're bound to falter!'
He lets go of her hand slowly.
Recoiling her hand, Jodha regroups herself and adjusts her dupatta. Unmoved, she stares back into his eyes 'When a thorn pricks your feet, its not necessarily the fault of the traveller...the mistake actually lies with the person who'd planted the thorn in the first place!'
Breaking out into a slight smile on observing her unflinching expressions, he watches the queen walk away from his presence with her head held high.
And there HB was still harping on about her Ja-Jo to Gulbadan Begum 'Today the sourness in their relationship will blossom tomorrow to such an extent that people shall sing praises of it!'
[Poor Gulbadan, she didn't look like she was having much idea about the hows and whys of HB's puzzling obsession over Ja-Jo!]
ADHAM PLOTTING
When Adham is busy plotting with a few courtiers about Jalal's assassination - he talks about how dangerous the forest was - the animals, the tribals etc...[lol..looks like he has an idea what was to befall Jalal]
Thankfully, all the courtiers in Agra were not as ridiculous as Adham and realized the risks involved in plotting an assassination attempt at such an untimely juncture!
RUQAIYYA'S INSECURITIES
For a second, I was wondering if the CVs were planning to show us a pleasant scene between the Begums of the harem who were watching an interesting game of chess between the two leading ladies - Ruqaiyya and Salimas! However, it seems like the women in the harem are meant to be portrayed more as bimbos and less as ladies (bar Ruqaiyya and Salima of course!). No wonder Jalal is not interested in any of them!
As usual, one lady passes a remark on Jodha's Ajmer-luck when Ruqaiyya loses the smile adorning her face.
Just then, MA appears - boisterously laughing aloud like there was no tomorrow!
The basic pretext of MA's taunting laughs were 'I told you...I told you...Watch how Begum Jodha is going to defeat you in this life's game of chess and steal your Badshah!'
Thankfully, it was only a premonition! A hallucination.
Apparently, our darling Ruqaiyya seems to be more disturbed about it all than she'd thought. Why, in a short while she starts viewing the chess pieces (more like actual men) as Jalal himself...and her opponent's pieces as Jodha...
What follows is a slew of double meaning dialogues - dialogues that were about Ruqaiyya's own insecurities - all in chess lingo! 'Badshah...Soldier...defeat...surround...kill...'
Finally, Ruq wins the game with a master-stroke [of which I have no idea!] and then she declares an evident double entendre 'No Begum can steal my badshah from me because I rule his mind...' [I slap my forehead and shut my ears] 'The Badshah only belongs to the Mallika-e-khaas!'
Though silent, Salima watches on unconvinced!
DEPARTURE
How adorable was the scene in which Shehenshah had mounted his horse, while his queen's palanquin waited behind him [personally for me, this was the best scene of the day!]
'I know you know your responsibilities well...but, its the first time Begum Jodha is visiting Ajmer Sharif with you...so, please take care of her' HB advices her son
Turning around, Jalal casts a cynically sweet smile at the queen who was peeking through the drapes of her palanquin. The emperor salutes his mother and then trots off!
SETTING CAMP AT NIGHT
Possibly some distance away from Agra, the troupe'd halted to take rest.
Jodha's tremendous worry was that she couldn't find Jalal's tent. Not because she was concerned for HIS well-being - but because she was fretting for her own safety!
She had no intention of spending the night with the Emperor. She pours her frustrations out to the maid, who actually tries drilling some sense into her. However, our Mirchi gets irked 'Why do you support him? I've never seen a glimpse of pity or sympathy in his eyes so far...I know what he's capable of'
She dashes off to seek his audience - in a way -compelling him to dismiss his ministers in order to attend to her
'I want to tell you clearly that I don't want to spend the night with you in your tent...' she starts 'You cannot use your power to compel me to fulfil your wishes!'
He can't help but laugh at her anxiety
'Why are you laughing now?'
He points to the separate provisions he'd made for their nightly halt - two separate tents 'That one is your tent and this one is mine..I know you can't stay with me..but comprehend this -even I have no longing to gaze at your face!'
The queen is silenced!
LATER
When the Emperor is about to place his sword down before retiring for the night, he suddenly catches through the apertures an unknown person making his way towards Jodha's tent!
Alerted, the Emperor shouts out to his guards and makes his way out. Needless to say, the less-than-capable plumpy assassin is caught and surrounded within the blink of an eye!
The captive then fearlessly explains the reason behind his presence there - to assassinate Jodha and avenge the humiliation she'd brought upon Rajputs by marrying a Mughal! In the process he utters quite a few derogatory comments about her that annoys Jalal to no end. Just as the assassin is about to attempt suicide, Jalal stops him and draws his sword to end the man's life.
'You shall face punishment for tainting the honour of my Begum!' he shouts - his feet on the man's chest!
However, Jodha stops him 'Shehenshah...punish him for it, but not in this manner...wouldn't our holy trip be dishonoured...we're going to pray then shouldn't we harbour pity and empathy as we proceed?'
Jalal angrily approaches her 'He has debased a Mughal Begum, he deserves to be punished for it!'
'But...but...'
Jalal raises his hand up to stop her and orders his soldiers to drag the man away. Once they'd all left, the enraged king continues 'Now...tell me what were you trying to say?'
'That he was not wrong in his statements...after having wed you, we've ended up making enemies with many-a-Rajvanshi! Whatever is happening is because of you!'
[Another face-palm! CVs can you please endeavour to make Jodha appear a bit less-ridiculous in her rebuttals?]
EVEN LATER
Jodha is graciously removing all of her heavy jewellery when the maid informs her that Shehenshah was planning to spend the night in her tent owing to the latest harrowing developments!
Just as she learns of the troubling update, Jalal walks into her tent. Her jewels all off and hair open, she looks lovely as she turns around to catch his entry.
'I'd told him not to come here..yet, he's here...never fulfils his promise, does he?' the displeased lady thinks to herself and turns back.
A grim Jalal walks a few steps ahead, but Jodha pulls the curtain string down that lets the drapes fall - forming a (significant) wall between them!
While she lays down on her bed, he sits by on a couch. While she rests her head facing away from him, he starts twirling the handle of the sword with his palm to keep himself distracted from her. This deliberate 'I'm not seeing you...you're not seeing me' goes on for a short while, when Jalal realizes that Jodha wasn't sleeping.
'Why aren't you sleeping Jodha Begum?' he asks her
'When a stranger is sitting in my tent, how could I sleep?'
'Fine! You stay up guarding the tent and I shall sleep peacefully' he retorts
Wasting no time thereafter, the confident Emperor lies on the not-very-comfortable couch to catch a few winks of sleep.
Watching him repose, Jodha can't help but wonder to herself 'Has he really come here only for the sake of my protection? Look at him...he sleeps peacefully after disturbing my peace so...'
Though she lies down initially, the queen sits up once again. Getting off the bed, she proceeds to fetch herself some water.
Just then, Jalal realizes something was amiss and opens his eyes to catch an empty bed. Worried, he draws his sword and traipses around the tent to search for the supposed intruder.
No wonder that when Jodha catches the emperor in a furious and all-protective mode, she's mighty confused -
'I heard a few footsteps' he explains
'It was only me' she clarifies
The uncomfortable couple then return to their bed-spaces - only to twist and turn a bit more!
A short while later, Jalal hears the sounds of hissing. He stares in her direction and his doubts are cleared!
Rushing forth, he charges through the wall of drapes and snatches the veil off from the sleeping queen.
She wakes up jolted - cowering in dread and covering up for modesty!
'I knew it...that your stay here to protect me was only an excuse...' while Jalal remains confounded by her outburst, she ensues with her threats 'You are the Emperor of the Mughal Sultanat...does it befit you to behave in such a crude way with your wife...to behave in such an inappropriate manner...please go away from here...I know we're married...but, I shall not give you the right to do this to me...you can't use your force to get your way here...'
Watching the wriggling snake in his hand that she'd not yet laid eyes upon, Jalal smiles to himself. Taking the dupatta away from the snake, he throws it back at her. Relieved, Jodha adjusts the veil and finally looks up to watch the king looking into the eyes of a serpent. She is shocked! She'd got her answer there!
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