Friends, what a surprise package yesterday's episode turned out to be in the end. Look at what all we were anticipating ... many of us gave many theories but by evening on my thread yesterday the consensus opinion was that the majority of the forum-people felt that Jodha would get selected in the election as she was more popular and liked, and then magnanimously she would give her responsibility back to Ruq, which would end up making Jodha look good in Jalal's eyes.
People also said that Ruq would thus remain as Begum-e-Khas, but by this act Jodha would become Jalal's "khas begum". I came to the table with my own theory that if there was an election there may be a tie and Jalal may have to use his casting vote to make Jodha or Ruq his choice. We all also thought the story of Mazhar-Ruksana-Aziza would continue to fester and Jalal would have a hard time deciding the case.
We thought, we thought, we thought ... but no one at all thought that Jalal would take sides in this issue. We never thought he would have a clear choice as to the winner he wanted. And we never thought how he would help the loser reconcile to the loss in an ingenious way!
Well ... Jalal and the Creatives threw us all for a toss! Because Jalal did size up the situation, he knew who he wanted as harem in charge going forward, and he knew who he did not want as harem in-charge any more going forward! He toook sides but ensured that all sides could be comfortable with that!
But let me begin this at the beginning so that my arguments of what happened and how it happened make sense. Here's what happened ...
Jalal gives Mazhar and himself one month's time to handle their own cases!
The whole harem and in fact all the royal ladies at the Palace were all agog about this Mazhar case having opened a can of worms at the harem. Not only was the case itself tricky to solve, because it was so parallel to situations the Shahenshah's had with own two ladies - Ruq and Jodha - but to add to matters the haremites had risen in rebellion against Ruq's style ofmanagement of the harem itself. It was in this context that Jodha had persuaded Jalal to enter the issue and give his advice and judgement and so Jalal arrived with a lot of fanfare.
At the harem sabha, Jalal made short work of the Mazhar-Ruksana-Aziza issue. He called the threesome in front of him and heard their stories. Mazhar said clearly that his choice as a grown up was his love Aziza and not Ruksana, his childhood friend , to whom he had been betrothed as a child by his parents. Jalal looked at Ruq as he absorbed the arguments of Ruksana on why "friendship" was the stronger bond than "love" for a marriage, and then he looked at Jodha as Aziza made her case for a marriageof "love". We the audience knew that Jalal had sized up this situation as fraught with pain on all sides. He then did something so astute that I can only stand back and marvel. He said to Mazhar directly "I give you all one month to think this through. And then Mazhar, whoever you decide to marry will be fine! Whatever the solution, it has to have reciprocal feelings from both sides to have a proper union".
Did the Shahenshah actually give himself that one month to decide who would be eventually closest to him - Jodha or Ruq? I felt as if he did give his own self a month's time to iron out his own life in the guise of giving Mazhar one month. This one month, he knew, was not to make a decision on who he wants. Like Mazhar knew he was in love with Aziza, Jalal too was sure he was in love with Jodha. But the one month of cooling period seemed to be needed to make Ruksana and Ruq reconciled to the love choices of Mazhar and Jalal respectively.
It was also clear from Jalal's words that Ruq and Ruksana needed to see that any union of souls needs to be between two persons with a two-way reciprocal bond of love, and not just an "ek-tharapha" bond of "laying a prior claim". Thus Jalal was hinting to Mazhar that the love he felt for Aziza was two way (as with Jalal and Jodha) , but the kind of love that Ruksana felt for Mazhar was like a one-way "laying of a prior claim" (as with Ruq). What a fabulous decision that was that Jalal seemed to make there for himself as well as for Mazhar!
Then came the issue of harem mis-management by Ruq and the clamour for Jodha
Hardly had the Mazzhar issue been solved than Jalal sensed that there was still some disquiet in the room. He asked if his decision was not liked by all? Then out came the truth. The ladies of the harem one by one started telling Jalal that they did not like Ruq's handling of the harem - because just as in the Mazhar case, there have been a series of past patterns of mis-management of situations and crises by Ruq and her "tanashahi" was not acceptable.
Ruq bristled and Jodha looked concerned at this, Maham argued for Ruq, and Hamida did a partial support act ... but curiously Jalal did not look perturbed. He heard the ladies out and then said "In that case, if you all don't like Ruq to govern you, then who will step forward to take her role?" Nobody wanted to take on the role or felt competent to do so. But it was remarkable to me that Jalal kept on pressing the point to make them give him a name. He obviously had a name in his mind!
In the end he had his way, one lady proposed Jodha, and said her softer handling of issues would suit the harem better. Jalal knew exactly what Jodha would immediately say and do, so he watched her keenly. As expected Jodha demurred. She said she was unsure of the laws, had never held such an office before and could not take Ruq's place. She also looked guilty about taking Ruq's place as Ruq looked her triumphantly as if she had slipped in Jalal's eyes. But by then the clamoour for Jodha was growing. Jalal said "let's us all assemble here again after one day and we'll all think it through by then. But if no name comes forward, then I don't want any more complaints against Ruq either in future!"
What did Jalal think he could achieve in one day? While we all thought he was giving the ladies time to consider, it was he himself wanting one day to work a plan that was fast forming in his mind. He had seen what the people wanted. They wanted Jodha and not Ruq. He himself wanted Jodha and not Ruq. Jalal now had to find a way to first make Jodha ready to accept the role, which he knew she would try to run away from since it made her guilty to usurp Ruq's space. He then knew he had to make Ruq herself give up the role without his needing to force his decision on Ruq. He had to get Ruq to concede on her own terms. So off he went to work his plan!
Jalal uses reverse psychology to wheedle Jodha to accept the harem-management role!
Jodha goes to see Jalal when he is in the garden getting a head massage from a bandhi. He greets her and says this harem matter has given him a headache so he wanted a massage. He asks Jodha to sit but she says she is OK standing where she is. He then says "Takhliya" to dismiss the bandhi, and lo, Jodha suddenly sits down. Jalal is keenly watching all this and murmurs to himself "You always seem to do the opposite of everything you say". Jodha asks him to repeat that but he changes tack and asks why she is here. She says she came to thank him for his handling of the Mazhar matter and he says "Thank God, you now have started liking some of my actions!". He has a teasing look in his eyes, as she looks down at the ground in confusion.
She then tentatively starts saying "Shahehnshah I wanted to talk to you about something ..." but he doesn't let her speak on. He says his head is still aching and the massage by the baandhi was insufficient as her hands were not as good as Jodha's. He looks expectantly at Jodha as if asking her to continue the massage! Jodha sees his game and decided to play along - to be able to open her topic with him again. She starts his head massage and then says "Nobody else says that I say one thing and do the opposite, except you." Jalal replies in a slightly less-playful seriousness "Yes I saw that. I saw the way all the ladies and the bandhis in the harem were doing "vakalath" for you. Looks likethey have started understanding you and you have started understanding them. You have become their hope."
Then suddenly Jalal the tactician stops leaning back for the head massage and launches into an advisory mode directly at Jodha. He says "But look, I have a piece of advice for you. Please tell them all outright that you don't want to take on the harem responsibility. If you don't openly refuse, they will continue to grow their hope and then feel very disappointed. Why lead them to that turmoil? Good thing you refused to stand against Ruq. After all who can manage the harem affairs as well as Ruq?"
Jodha by now is a bit miffed that her capability is being called to question. "That's not true" she says, "I too can manage the harem well. Its just that I do not want to get into that mess and neither do I want to tread on Ruq's territory." Jalal replied "Yes exactly, look how Ruq has managed the harem for years, and yet the haremites see you as their "maseeha"! I know you will not make that mistake of accpeting that role though. You are intelligent I know, but to look after the harem you need a different kind of samajdhar, isn't it?"
By now Jodha seems rattled that he didin't think her capable. She rises to stand up and says "I must take leave now. For your headache a good night's sleep should suffice. So good night!" Jalal watches her departing back and says to himself "Good night Jodha Begum. Hope you sleep well too, for from tomorrow you have a lot of work to do indeed!".
And with that the extremely smart, extremely clever Shahehshah, who has understood his dearest love Jodha so well, wears a look in his eye of pure satisfaction that he has managed to use reverse psychology to make Jodha do the exact opposite of what she planned to do. He knew she would initially hesitate to take on the harem management role because she saw that as Ruq's territory. But Jalal also knew that Ruq had become extremely unpopuluar and her incompetence in handling situations with sagacity and tact had led to the Mazhar incident being blown up into a larger rebellion against Ruq's management style of dictatorship. It was Jodha who had taught Jalal that the wishes of the praja are paramount ... and this new Jalal, softened by the birthday gift of people's love that Jodha had given him, now knew that the people in the harem wanted Jodha as their manager and not Ruq anymore. He had to prepare Jodha to take the role, which he had just done very cleverly by telling Jodha the exact opposite (that she should not take a role she was not so capable of handling). A bristling Jodha had then determined then and there to "show him she could", and Jalal saw the determination with which she took his leave. He had succeeded with Jodha.
Now he need to prepare Ruq to quit the post on her own terms, without his having to tell her rudely or hurt her feelings. So he was off to his next task!
Reality check! Here's the Salima-Ruq encounter ... because I can't ever miss that out!
Meanwhile, the stage was set for the Salima-Ruq encounter ... when a bandhi overheard Salima telling Hamida, Gulbadan and JijiAnga that Jodha, despite her lack of experience, had a softer democratic way of handling people and so was better for the harem management role than Ruq who was a dictator. Salima fellt that the harem, being full of ladies, needed a pair of sensitive hands to manage affairs and not a peremptory, trammelling autocrat.
The bandhi sneaked this Salima talk to Ruq, and so a fuming Ruq then marched into Salima's room and said brusquely "I need to talk to you." "What has happened" a worried Salima asks. "There is an attack on me. I am being stabbed from the back" says Ruq. "For years I have managed the harem and there was not a squeak from anyone. Now everyone is talking and especially the ones I thought near and dear to me." Salima commiserates with Ruq "I am sorry you have to go through this."
Ruq pounces on her "Oh, you're sorry, are you?" And then in a sudden fall from all etiquette and decency Ruq starts addressing Salima with a "tum" instead of an "aap" and calls her by her name as "Salima" and not with respect as "Salima Begum". "Just what do you think of yourself? You have insulted the Begum-e-Khas in front of Hamida. You have questioned my running of the harem'"Ruq shouts, " ... do you wish to imply that Jodha is better than me? Hear this, nobody is better than Ruqaiya - neither Salima nor Jodha."
Salima then says she is shocked at Ruq's complete lack of decency and finds her "tameez" to be at an all time low. As an elder sister she says it is her duty to show Ruq what tameez is all about. "I too can shout Ruqaiaya Begum" she says "but just talking loudly is not a sign of the truth or your audha. And don't interruppt me, I am not finiished ... you are solely responsible for the mess you are in, neither Jodha nor anyone could have made you unpopular but yourself. If you don't change your behaviour and badtameezzi forthwith you stand to lose your audha and everything else pronto. That fall from grace is dead sure now! Yes, I supported Jodha because she has loads more sensitivity than you and loads more tact annd feelings. I fear no one in saying this openly. You have so fooled yourself that Jalal has no "dil" that you have ended up murdering your own "dil" yourself. Go and try to wake up your "dil". Ask yourself why everyone is against you. Your own "dil" may give you the answer. Now let me complete my work here. Goodbye!"
The sheer shock in Ruq's eyes at this unbridled volley from Salima, and the way Ruq was quiveriing with anger was to be seen. (It was incidentally a fine piece of acting from Lavina too!).
But the calm way Salima delivered the whole ruthless chastisement to Ruq amazed me at her class and firmness when it counted. She said so much with such uncompromising finality, and yet in her soft-spoken dignity-laden voice. No wonder Jalal places so much value on her words. (And incidentally again, folks, did you all notice that the whole of Salima's dialogue was in one unbroken piece? That means she has mugged up and remembered the whole dialogue and done a fantastic job in making it just onesingle long take during the shooting! What fabulous actors we have in this serial!)
Jalal uses a different reverse psychology on Ruq to wheedle her to give up on her own terms!
In her room Ruq is pacing up and down waiting for Jalal. When he does appear he starts by putting an arm round her shoulder ... (I thought he was such a clever fellow that he tried to start softening up Ruq rightaway with that arm across her shoulder). She said to him "Oh, you've come now when my mood is off?" "What, your mood is off?" he asked, "I thought you would be a in a great mood since Jodha has refused to take the harem management role of yours?" Ruq replies ascerbically "Maybe Jodha has refused the role, but I know loads of people are with her and not on my side!"
"Oh", said Jalal, "tell me ... other than my mother, who else is on Jodha's side?" and Ruq replied "None other than your other wife Salima Sultan!". That was news to Jalal. I think he made up his mind then and there that if even the wise Salima suppported Jodha for the role, then Ruq's days as head of the harem had to be numbered.
Ruq continued "Now you also tell me whose side are you on, mine or Jodha's?". Jalal immediately said "You know I have to do insaaf and cannot afford to take sides ... but when I have told you that Jodha has refused to take the role, why do you persist in being anxious?"
"For sure this Jodha has no guts to try and match my capabailities" Ruq said. But Jalal interected with speed "Still, Jodha's strength is growing day by day, isn't it? The whole harem and palace, all the ladies and bandhis have started liking her better. And what makes me most surprised is that they are all against you, Ruq!" Ruq then says with consternation "Are you supporting me or uksao-ing me?" Jalal replies smartly "No I am not uksao-ing you, just trying to break your mindset. I am amazed that you with all your strength and power and audha seem so anxious and unhappy - whereas Jodha with no audha, no strength or power seems so happy. So now the question is, if not Jodha, who will stand against you?"
And then Jalal got exactly what he wanted from Ruq. She said "Give me just five days. In five days let anyone else manage the harem and if they succeed I will give up this post for ever!" She raised her hand to signal the five days she would give, and Jalal intertwined his hand in hers almost like a deal was being made there. There was fondness in that clasp but also a firmness that she should stick with her side of the bargain. He smiled and said still holding her hand "I like seeing you thus doing your "rasa-kasi". (He clearly is enjoying playing his wives to his tunes, isn't he, folks?)
And then he goes one step further with Ruq. He tells her "Take my further advice. Don't take your dushman - it may well be Jodha - lightly. She particularly is a master of talents and can just twist you around and fool you like this ..." and he snaps his fingers across Ruq's face and body as if to show the chaalaaki of Jodha. "And now I'll go" he says as he leaves a hard-thinking Ruq behind.
Okay folks let's take stock of what he's achieved here. He has first acsertained that even Salima prefers Jodha. That is a big tick in favour of Jodha in his mind. Then he reminds Ruq that while her stock with the haremites is falling, Jodha's is rising day by day and she is now very liked! Ruq has to accept that hard truth so he does not try to hide that from her. He then tells her that even with audha and power she is unhappy, while without audha and power Jodha is so happy (in other words, he wants Ruq to know that life without audha and power is a happy place too, and not to be dreaded!). After that he gets it out of Ruq's mouth that she will rellinquish her post if her competitor lasts five full days in control of the harem. He seals the pact, as it were, with a hand holding with Ruq. He then re-emphasises to Ruq that the opponent is going to be no other lady but Jodha. He perpares her to face Jodha. And finally he does something that will work on Ruq and Jodha too. He tells Ruq "I like your rasa-kasi attitude of making a fight of it. Beware of Jodha for she is a smart cookie who can fool you. Give her a tough time in these five days!"
With that sentence he has ensured that even Jodha in these five days will have to face a lot of hurdles from Ruq so that she too has to prove her mettle against odds and be really worthy of the role she is going to fill!
Jalal is giving the role to Jodha in response to the people's requests, he has primed Jodha to be ready to take the role, he has primed Ruq to relinquish the role without dread of losing the audha. and he has also made Ruq ready to give Jodha a real tough test of endurance in these five days so that Jodha gets her baptism by fire!
Why is Jalal doing all this? What does he gain by demoting Ruq and promoting Jodha? Apart from pleasing the people and following their sentiments, I think the bigger reason is that prophecy by Salim Chisti. Ever since that prophecy, Jalal must have realised that it is going to be Jodha at No. 2 spot in his kingdom after himself, by divine destiny. He needed to prepare Jodha for that role as MUZ and this harem management could be a good first step. But he needed to make the hesitatnt Jodha ready to take on political responsibilities and train herself, and at the same time, he had to let down his old and good friend Ruq lightly (for she has unfortunately reached the depth ofher capabilities and not come out trumps!). He needed Ruq to acquiesce in favour of Jodha. He wanted Ruq to feel that it is she who is giving up her role willingly after a good five day fight with the opponent, and he didn't want Ruq to feel that he has taken sides against her or forced her hand.
Forum-waasiyon! What can I say? I am speechless. This "ultra teda" Shahehshah is running rings round his wives and making them dance to his tune like the Pied Piper of Hamelyn! What a master strategist he is!
Yesterday's episode is all about him, his crookedness and yet his sensational success in getting exactly what he wants from everyone conccerned. Oh boy, what a masterclass that was in people management!
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
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