Jalal: Shrewd and in control!?

Hello People,

I am back with another of my overlong analysis. This is in continuation of my earlier posts.😃

(Those who want to do some time pass can read my older posts in the below address:

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3836599

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3841285)

When I was writing my earlier post on Tasneem's case, I had flash of realization which prompted me to write this. I started thinking about Jalal and his motivation to certain things he does. Now, please keep in mind that this has nothing to do with Jodha or her influence on him. I have already explored that in my previous post.

So, what drives Jalal? For me, it was two things; his political ambition and his need to have control over everything. Both these things shaped him. He grew up with an agenda to conquer and unite all of Hindustan. This has been a driving force for so many things he has done till now. And while growing up he did not have any control over his life. He was shipped off to places, separated from his parents etc. So this lack of control over his own life might have manifested him into a person who always wants to be in control of people and situations. I am a control freak myself. So I know where he is coming from.

Let's explore this using many of the incidents in his life.

War on Amer and his Marriage to Jodha:

Clearly his war on Amer was to aid his political agenda, to expand his territory. What about his marriage? At one side his ego and passion towards her hatred drove him to marry her. He wanted to control her. But it also served his political stature. By then he was out of the influence of BK. He was slowly coming onto his own and he had started to explore different ways to fulfill his political ambition. If it was only passion or lust he feels towards Jodha, he could have taken her as bandhi. He need not have married her and also he agreed to her condition during wedding for two purposes. To control her and keep her where he wants her to be and to serve his political agenda. By this he establishes goodwill among Rajputs. As any good king, he wants loyal people around him. He gets exactly this.

Manipulation of Jodha to be in control:

He manipulates Jodha during his initial days of marriage to be in control. He has her right where he wants her to be. It looks like he does not like when things and people are not in control or follow a certain behavior. Jodha is an exception and does not follow the standard pattern. This aggravates him and also fascinates him.

MC fiasco:

Things went beyond his control and look what happened. He lost his cool. He wanted to control Jodha, but he got played by her (according to him). He did come hard on her and her family during that time.

Amer trip:

Look how he manipulated Ruku and MA and all the others. He wanted to go to Amer, and they were against it for different reasons. He could have just told them that he is the king and they can just shut up. But instead he placates them, calm them down. At first glance it looks like he is afraid of their anger or that he does not want to offend them. But no, he plays them like a sitar and dance to his tunes. He wants to be in control of their emotions and by this he controls their reactions and hence consequences too. He has to call the shots always.

Also, his trip had two fold purposes. One was to make amend to Jodha. But this also served his political purpose. He was making way into Rajputs.

Ratanghar fort issue:

Yes he kept his cool when things went beyond his control because he gave word to Jodha. If everything he did was for Jodha, then he could have handed the fort to Sukanya in the first place without any war. No, he did not like the fact that some else was in control and calling the shots. If he wanted to do to something like gift the fort, then it has to be on his terms. No one or nothing can control him. Also, he does not want to appear weak in front of his allies and enemies by giving away his fort under pressure. At the same time he did want to appear as heartless for running Sukanya's wedding. By teaching the in-laws a lesson and then giving away his fort, he asserted himself a king always in control and he was again winning over Rajputs.

Jodha's religion conversion issue:

His stand on this may seem like he was supporting Jodha at any cost. But was he going to give away his kingdom for a relationship as new as this? Yes, he did give word to her that she will not get converted. So, he left the choice to her. The way he handled this whole thing was not just about his word to Jodha. It was also about few people controlling him. These religious people were forcing him and trying to bend him at their will. He could not have let this happen. Once he bends for them, then whole life they will be controlling him. He wanted to be in control, not them. He wanted to avoid this at any cost. So, when they asked him to leave Jodha or convert her, he said he will step down as the king. He very well know that this was something they will never agree to, because there will be riots all over. Also, very shrewdly he makes Rahim his heir just in case. That way, he will still get to control his kingdom if he is no longer the king. This is his way of showing who the boss is and who is in control.

And the first opportunity he gets separates these religious entities from administration, there by taking lot of things in his own control.

The second thing which prompted him in this case was his political aim. He had just heard that his soldiers are looting temples and because of that there are bad bloods all over between him and Rajputs. By siding with Jodha and supporting her religion, he is also sending a political message to all Rajputs that he does not have anything against their religion. So, what he did also suited his political agenda.

Fake pregnancy:

There is nothing much political in this track. However, his need to control shows up here and that is the reason why he does not share anything with Jodha till the end. If he tells her anything, he may lose control over the situation and also Jodha's responses.

Birthday surprise and Tasneem's case:

Jodha's gift showed him a new facet to his political ambition. He saw that having the goodwill and not fear of his people can take him places. He saw what loyalty can do (Ex: Amer brothers). By being a good king and taking care of people, winning their affection can also win loyalties. Of course, being a genuinely a decent human being, this is not difficult. This new dimension of his ambition nicely compliments his own nature and hence he is so eager to latch on it. Earlier also, in Amer he says that he wants to win over people's heart. He had already realized then that winning war can only serve him to some extent.

Also, he loses his cool again when things went out his control because of AK. Also, he controls MA too by playing her for the fool. Only this time MA realizes that Jalal always controlled her, not just the other way round.

Love

Kshithi

Originally posted by: mandyg

lovely post! u have very well explained the ambitious and controlling jalal whose ambitions shaped him to become akbar the great and how he latched on to the ideas that were for his benefit and shunned the ones that were not and also how he gave the benefit of doubt to others controlling his life but in reality it was the opposite..he was no fool and under no one's direct influence!

Originally posted by: Pals2411

Loved your analysis like always. While going through your analysis it seems quite evident that he want to literally rule over everyone (using saam, daam, dhand). However I also fee that that extra bit of leniency towards Jodha has something to do with his attraction for her and for the fact that she also challenges him like none others. 😊

Originally posted by: kmmdesai

Thanks Mandy ( I hope this is your name) 😊

Jodha's influence showed him to go about achieving his ambition in a more ethical and moral ways. Look how he took her advise from her, but only when it coincides with his nature and goal. He did not forgive BB even when Jodha told him to.

Love

Kshithi

Originally posted by: ngayou

Another enjoyable read from u, Kshithi 😊 . Quite well thought out. But I d like to add some points u seem to have missed. Firstly, though his marriage was for his political ambition & gaining a foothold with the Rajputs, let s not forget that he was attracted a lot to Jodha at first sight. Later on of course, his ego came into play when she expressed her hatred for Jalaluddin & placed sword on his neck.

And yes, whenever he d set his mind to do something, he finds the perfect way to do it & very cleverly manipulates the MAs & the Ruqs to his way of thinking 😉 . But except for his atrocious behaviour to Jodha & her family during the MC track, he s been quite fairminded in his behaviour I d say. It was not only his political agenda at work all the time, but his basic sense of fair play too.

During Sukanya s marriage, yes he was angry for the unfair demands & so showed it to them that he was the one in control, but he also showed his compassion by uttering kind & supportive words to Sukanya too along with gifting the qila in her name. That was not a political manoeuvre I d say, but more of a kind hearted , affectionate jiju.

Regarding the Durga Ma temple scene, once again he showed his tolerance for all religions is what I d say. Who did he want to impress there when only Jodha was with him while he bent his head towards the idol. So I felt here he was morally correcting a wrong that he d inadvertently perpetuated.

Coming to the maulvis protesting his actions in the temple & Jodha s conversion issue, well some opposing perceptions r there for Jalal willing to give up his throne for the sake of his promise. I d request u to go thro Shymala Aunty s posts on the ramifications behind the idol bowing & also on his giving up the throne. Then u ll see the discrepancy in Jalal s shrewdness & political mind.

And fake pregnancy track, there wasnt any political agenda as such in it except for showing the trust factor.

And lastly the child marriage ban track, aaaghh, dont want to talk about it at all. Still getting over that farce where Jalal looked dumbfounded & clueless at Cheapham s challenges 😭 . Jalal sure didnt look anywhere near shrewd by the end of that .

But otherwise, I do agree that his political agenda might have played a big part in most of the tracks, but I wouldn't say only that completely controlled all his actions. That s it from me. Meine bhi lamba comment likha haina 😉 😆

Originally posted by: meghanajain

You are on a roll Kshisthi, enjoyed reading this post and if its about Jalal then its even more fun. I do agree that Jalal likes to be in control, but poor fellow married Jodha who does not let him be in control. He then uses manipulation to control her, in Amer when he made her do all kind of massages..He enjoys it when he can control her for sure.