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Today's episode is the following three things:
1. Layered.
2. Intense.
3. Bifurcation of heart and mind
Today we get to see layers of Jodha and Jalaal as a whole - past, present and the future included and how exactly their psychological and emotional machinery is working.
Fact no.1 , in hearts of hearts , Jodha does NOT hate Jalaal and i don't need to prove or justify it. In recent weeks, we have had enough instances to know that much - she cares very much about him. That is her developing emotional layer for Jalaal. But, at the same time, having seen yesterday's and today's episode, we have come to know that her hatred and disgust for Jalaal., which is now limited to her mind and words only is NOT blind. It has sprung from a very traumatic experience and visual that disturbs her till date - The looting of the temple, the hacking and killing of innocent soldiers who were not even prepared , the dishonour of women and the demoniac name of Jalaaluddin under whose name all this cruelty was carried out.
From Jodha's dialogues , its gathered that the soldiers at the temple were unprepared and so were the women - because the looting was done pre-war . This ravaging is what has shaken her. That is why she mentions that its cool to die as a fighting warrior , but not in a holy place like this where they were heaped like bones.
So, everytime her heart warms up to Jalaal , we see her take a step back or say some barbs that ruin the sentiment. Its like her mind knocks her out - "Don't trust him. Don't be swayed by the inner beauty you see. All this is an illusion and one of his manipulative shades. Don't forget the horrendous visual you saw and remember how cruelly he ordered your place of worship , your soldiers and your women to be ravished.Step back, Jodha."... and hence , Jodha steps back. Everytime her heart begins to rise, the mind suppresses it - reminding her that its the same Jalaal who brought so much ruin. Don't melt, even if you want to. Hence , she confronts Jalaal in all that emotional turmoil and fury - telling him the real reason of her hatred and no, its much deeper than prejudice and pride. The heart maybe moving in Jalaal's direction but the mind is still a powerful guard.
Coming to Jalaal, even his mind and heart are on two other opposite sides of the plane. Hid mind is working exactly in the same direction as he told Maaham - " I don't want to unite India under the Mughal flag by force or bloodshed. I want to unify this empire by using the peace flag - if , for that, i have to participate in Hindu festivals , wedding , cultural activities, give respect to their religion , bow my head at temples, am pretty cool. That does not affect my faith in Islam or make me any less of a Muslim. Besides, am not feeling all of this , its just strategy and am sure i will succeed."
But his heart tells another story and we saw it. Jalaal , when raging and ranting at Atgaa Khan, was not worried about " what impression am i making" - he was hurt and worried about " they all hate me and i don't like it". His reaction to the big chinese whisper glitch that made him look like a criminal in Jodha's eyes and he couldn't even deny it - was EMOTIONAL. Had it not been so, a man like Atgaa Khan who has known Jalaal all his life would have never said " Aap apnaa dil mut dukhaaiye, Shahenshah" ...
When he tells Maaham that his visit to MahaaKaali temple was 'political strategy', you know its not true. The way he had looked at Goddess' idol, the way he had kissed the earth at her feet , the way he was lost in the intensity of Jodha doing the MahaaKaali aarti , and above all his folding of hands while bowing out , when there was no Jodha to exhibit it to - All this had come straight from his heart. Jalaal may be the king of his mind but his actions and his feelings are driven by his heart. What he has termed strategy today was actually his internal spirituality.
Jodha and Jalaal , are desperately hiding behind the refuge of their mind. Jodha is hiding behind the excuse of a trauma that actually no longer drives her feelings for Jalaal. Jalaal is hiding behind the excuse of strategy while his heart has long taken its own course.
Coming to Maaham, if this is her understanding of God , if this is her respect for God ( Humein uss Khudaa ki bhi zaroorat nahiin) , if she is still stuck in the stone age of religious intolerance and belief that if you are not a Muslim by faith , you are a 'Kaafir' - then, i actually wonder how Jalaal will ever be able to unify India under one single rule with equal respect and regard for all faiths. Ittna chhotaa insaan, itnaa chhotaa dil, aur itnna maila imaan - aisaa insaan kisi ko kya taaleem degaa aur kya hi kisiko insaaniyat ka sabak sikhaayega?
I was shocked how fundamentalist and narrow minded she is. Jo Mandir mein baithi hain aur jo Dargaah mein baithe hainn - unkaa noor alag hai kya? Just how do you slice God and just how does it make a difference if your hands are raised in 'Dua' or folded in a 'praarthnaa'? This is what she has taught Jalaal all his life?
I know that Jalaal tackeld Maaham very well , even though he gave the political strategy excuse, but mind you. Look at the body language in that scene, Maaham keeps gripping , holding and patting Jalaal's hands - frantically. This indicates anxiety of loss - somewhere she can sense Jalaal slipping away and this over possessive streak will land Jodha in some real deep mud . Watch it.
As for Jodha's response to Maaham , am happy that she did it. Maaham had no business questioning Jodha in that tone, that language and that fury. Tameez se hi diyaa ho, lekin Maaham ki badtameezi ka isse badaa shareef jawaab ho bhi nahiin sakta tha.
I really liked today's episode. Very intense and well... full of so many warnings ahead. And of course , the goody goody blessing that Jodha and Jalaal got for a "Yashaswi Putra" was a relief.
P.S- Precap? Jodha, viewers ko aur Jalaal ko confuse mut karo. Kum se kum ghrinaa ko theek se maintain toh karro.😆
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