Friends, all of yesterday we were all speculating on when exactly the jashn would finally happen. Would it happen on Thursday and lead us all the climactic point on Friday, not knowing if Jalal was hurt or not? Will Jalal announce the new law against slavery before, during or after the jashn? Will the Bharmal family be there in full force? Will Bhagwan Das (the new one) arrive to exonerate Sujamal? Will Sujamal save Jalal? Will Sujamal get caught? Or will Sharif get caught? Will there just be an assassination attempt or even a kidnapping attempt? Will Bakshi betray her husband from anger over his leching at Jodha? Will Ruq and Maham also get involved in the fracas ... my God, our theories were endless and all our heads were spinning.
But in true form, the Creatives did a surprise number on us by not only exploding the TV screen with the jashn yesterday itself, but even taking the story to the point where Sujamal is now mistakenly assumed to be the attacker and has tried to flee for his life ... while Jalal is safe and so is Jodha!
For today's analysis I have no idea what to "analyse" because on the screen we had one long narrative of events ... one after another it was a sequence of events leading to the culminating moment when the attacker headed for Jalal was sidetracked by Sujamal, only to heap himself with the label of assassin! But even though there's not much to analyse in the events of yesterday itself, there's a whole lot left to speculate on as to what happens next. That is the flummoxing part ...
But let's start with what happened first ... here in brief is the storyline of yesterday, the way I saw it. I follow that with my prediction (which takes into account the precap we saw yesterday!).
The Bharmals meet Jalal
Jodha and Jalal met Raja Bharmal who had come with three of his sons (but without Bhagwan Das). Jalal looked pleased to see him and so did Jodha, and Raja Bharmal was also all full of supplication before Jalal. He had not conquered Mewat back as expected ... also we were expecting that Jalal and Bharmal would still have bad blood between them after the Shivani affair but all that seemed to be gone out of the window, because after the daughter of the Ameri Rajvanshi family (i.e. Jodha) drank snake poison to save her husband the Shahehnshah, Bharmal is able to now lift his head proudly in front of Jalal and declare that he has come to check on his daughter after that incident and it was her Rajvanshi blood that made Jodha do what she did for Jalal. The Shahenshah too seemed full of thanks for Jodha ... and thus all the ill-will of the past seems forgotten and Jalal and Bharmal seem on as cordial terms as ever!
Jalal then asked Jodha to go and dress as he wished to speak privately to Bharmal and Sons. Mansingh dutifully took the place of the fourth son as his father is gaayab (and another father-actor is not yet found). Jalal then spoke of the Mewat capture by Sujamal, and particularly mentioned the unsavoury death of his two brothers from an unethical act of war ...whereupon Bharmal hastened to say that is the real reason he is here. Bharmal further said that Jalal should not think ill of the Ameris for the deeds of Sujamal, for though he is supposedly a son of the family, he has been a "bhaagi" for a long time now. Bharmal cluck-clucked at the greed and ambition and underhandedness of Sujamal, while Jalal said revenge on Sujamal was on his mind already - and Bharmal nodded as if that should be so!
Abul Mali plots in his faraway hut
Meanwhile in his ramshackle hut deep in the forest Abul Mali and his henchman ( the chosen assassin) are looking at a map of the jashn area brought to them by Sharif to see which would be the best method and angle of attack on Jalal. They were studying what Jalal's movements were likely to be and from where he should be attacked.
Abul Mali then reiterated his point (seen in the previous precap) that the start and process of the jashn should not be disturbed, because the troops surrounding Jalal would be fresh and alert. But when the jashn picked up tempo, and the climactic point was reached, the security apparatus would also relax a bit - and that was the right moment for launching the attack. It was a small scene, no doubt intended to show us how entrenched Sharif was with the Mali plan.
Ruq draws a big blank with Jalal
In a separate scene, Jodha was getting dressed (in green) and was telling Moti how happy she was that her father had come. But at the same time, Ruq was sparing no effort to get dressed to the nines herself hoping that even if Jalal was having this jashn for Jodha, as the Begum-e-Khas he would naturally opt to take Ruq as his chosen companion for the evening. How she got to this calculation beats me. For when she went to collect Jalal from his hojra she heard that he had already left for the jashn with Jodha on his arm! A fuming Ruq swore under her breath against Jodha for "stealing" Jalal from her.
The dramatis personae gather at the jashn
Then we saw scenes of all the arrivals of the royals at the jashn - as well as all the eager faces of the praja that had been invited en masse. At the head of the fanfare was Jalal on a horse accompanied by Hakim and Mansingh, while Jodha arrived alongside in a her doli. Jodha nd Jalal ascended to their seats on the dais, while one by one the remaining royal ladies - Ruq, Maham, Hamida and gang, Salima, Bakshi, Javeeda etc arrived in their dolis. Ruq became even more miffed to see that she was seated as "just one of the ladies" and had no pride of place next to Jalal on the dais. Meanwhile the baandhis who were newly freed were all heading for the jashn with a new verve.
Maham lost no time in rubbing salt into Ruq's wounds that she was a mere invitee while Jodha was the cynosure of all eyes, including Jalal's. Ruq tried to say "Hah! Jodha seems to have gone and called Jalal for this party", but Maham straightened her by saying "On the contrary, it was Jalal who invited Jodha". That should have stunned Ruq into silence but in a last whimper Ruq said "Its okay, he has promised me a game and some shikar after the jashn" and she thus consoled herself somewhat and sank into her seat, angry but beaten. Atga kept making last minute checks on the security, as Maham drove home another big point to an already small Ruq. She said with ominous overtones "Be ready for all that may happen today, and for the kind of future you may soon have to get used to!".
My ears sharpened to hear Maham talk about "things going to happen today" and for a moment I wondered if she knew anything about the assassination attempt, but then it looked like she had just shot an arrow from thin air, so I eased up a bit on her and kept watching out for Sujamal and Sharif! Meanwhile the public were all agog about Jalal and Jodha and kept shouting "Jai, jai" to them both that kept up the jashn fervour.
Jalal makes three annnouncements
Those of us who were wondering whether Jalal would make any announcements of the new law were given what we expected. Jalal rose to address the cheering crowds with a beaming face. He said first that this whole jashn was a vachan he had given when Jodha was ill, and after Jodha recovered he had to keep his word to the public so here they all were to enjoy the moment of thanksgiving for Jodha's life.
He then said he had a special announcement. He declared that henceforth in the Sultanate, it would be against the new law for people to have ghulams. They could hire people for work, but there would be no more allowance of bondage and slavery and forced work, and perpetrators of such acts would be liable for prosecution. A loud cheer arose in response, so it was a very popular announcement. Atga read out the official proclamation, and Jodha beamed with happiness at Jalal for putting into effect her dearest wish.
Then finally Jalal made a third announcement that got Jodha's heart even more. He said it was his crown that separated him from ordinary folk, so for this evening he would remove his crown and just be one of them. He took off his crown, waved to the public, smiled at Jodha and set out to enjoy himself. Jodha murmured her thanks for all this, and he in return asked if she liked the jashn. She told him she did indeed!
The triangular dance of Sujamal, Sharif and the assassin
While the song and dance and revelry began, in the middle of the crowd were three men, each with his own agenda. Sujamal was moving in and out of the thronging people in search of the assassin/henchman of Abul Mali. Sujamal said one key sentence to himself "I have to save Jalal from attack, I have given my word of honour to Jodha to save her suhaag." So saying he searched every face he came across.
But suddenly he saw one face he knew and ducked. It was Sharif also weaving through the crowd, getting restive because the henchman of Abul Mali was not yet here. Sujamal decided that if anyone here knew him, it was Sharif - and he better stay out of sight of that man.
Just then a flute playing person banged into Sujamal which Sujamal mistook for a musician. But hardly had the man passed him, Sujamal did a double take, for that was the henchman of Abul Mali! Sujamal started tailing that man. The assassin by now was within range of Jalal. And to make his target easier, Jalal decided to join the revellers instead of sitting on the dais. He got onto the shoulders of two of his men and started becoming part of the dancers.
The assassin now felt that a few steps forward would lead him within direct hitting range of Jalal to be able to blow a poisoned dart at him. He started assembling his poison dart and took it up to his mouth ... but Sujamal who had seen all this, decided to attack the guy swiftly. He put a dagger to the assassin's ribs, thus halting his act, and conveyed him surreptitiously through the crowd out into the open area outside the jashn location.
Sharif saw the assassin in the grip of some other man (that he didn't know was Sujamal) being led outside, and he followed in consternation. Outside in the open ground Sujamal and the assassin had a vicious hand-to- hand fight in which there was much alternative punching and dagger slashing and fist fighting. But eventually Sujamal managed to sever the neck of the assassin and after he collapsed, an exhausted Sujamal also collapsed to the ground.
But just then Sharif ran towards them with a small posse of his men and asked them to attack and capture Sujamal. There was another swordfight, while Sujamal evaded Sharif's men for a while but then succumbed to the ground with all their swords at his neck and body. He was outnumbered. Unfortunately a piece of his beard (his disguise) came loose and Sharif pounced on him, peeling off the fake beard ... and lo, he found himself staring at the face of Sujamal.
At that precise moment, Jalal and Atga with their sipahis came running to see what the fracas was all about, when Sujamal took advantage of Sharif's diversion to bolt and run free. As Sharif exhorted his men to run after Sujamal, Jalal asked "Who is this man, why is he here?" to which the wily and on-the-ball Sharif replied "That was Sujamal, obviously here to attack you, and since my man here (pointing to the assassin) recognised him, he has killed this man and fled!" Jalal's face was a picture of anger, revenge and chagrin at having lost the hold on Sujamal.
The precap: is it a sanket of "no MU"? My prediction!
Okay, now comes the opportunity for wild speculation again. What is going to happen now? The precap shows Jodha and Jalal having what seems like a normal conversation in ordinary tones - no anger, no revenge swearing, not even a hint of discord. Jalal seems to be wondering why despite the lovely jashn for her, Jodha is looking a bit sad. She says frankly "I was thinking of Sujamal Bhaisa ..."
Now what are we to make out from this precap? I personally get a clear sanket that there is going to be no MU between Jodha and Jalal. I also get a feeling that this discussion is after Jalal and Bharmal and Jodha and everyone concerned has already talked a lot on what happened at the jashn and its implications.
Surely immediately after the assassination attempt of Jalal, and the hints that Sharif has given that Sujamal was behind the attack, there must have been some vehement conversations between Jalal, Sharif, Jodha, Bharmal, Atga etc regarding what had taken place? But then in the precap Jalal is placid and looks even-tempered when speaking to Jodha. So the precap looks like it is a scene well after the jashn and its immediate tumultuous aftermath.
The spoilers which showed Sujamal in a woman's attire seem to be having a possibility of coming right now, for the fleeing Sujamal must have decided that he should somehow meet Jodha and clarify to her that:
a. He was not Jalal's attacker, he was instead trying to save Jalal from the attackers as he is vachan-bhad to Jodha to save her suhaag
b. Sharif is the man now clearly in cahoots with Abul Mali and his henchman - and the three had been plotting against Jalal to Sujamal's knowledge, and Sujamal had also sent an anonymous paigam of warning to Atga before the jashn to warn against an attack on Jalal, which Jodha could verify from Atga.
After saying all this to Jodha, Sujamal must have rushed away before being seen in his female disguise, and with that he may have fled Agra also in that female disguise.
I am not sure if Jodha will believe all that Sujamal had to say to her on all this, as she herself seemed to half-believe the story of his "peet ke peeche se war" against Jalal's brothers, which Jalal told her. But knowing Sujamal so well from childhood, and having met him as that beggar in the market, and heard the sincerity in his voice, Jodha may have felt there could be extenuating circumstances to clear Sujamal, but she may not have had the proof to go to Jalal with.
Sujamal dressed as the lady may have further convinced Jodha that he would do no such thing as attacking Jalal or backstabbing his brothers in war, and swear on all that is holy to the Rajvanshis (Ambe Ma?) that he was only saving Jalal for saving Jodha's suhaag ... and he would never wage an underhand war ... and Sharif was going scot free despite being the culprit. It may take a lot to convince Jodha but I think he will manage to at least sow a seed of doubt in Jodha that his (Sujamal's) version may be true.
I expect that Bharmal may actually agree with Jalal and Atga that Sujamal must have tried to attack Jalal. But, as long as Jalal is shown very calm in the precap, and Jodha is starting her sentence with "I was thinking of Sujamal Bhaisa ..." there is hope that there won't be any MU.
I think when the precap scene is shown in today's episode, Jodha may be shown as telling Jalal about her conversation with Sujamal (in disguise as a lady) and may be starting her defense of Sujamal with the words in the precap "I am thinking of Sujamal Bhaisa ...". Seeing Jalal calm and willing to listen, Jodha may actually start trying to convince Jalal that there could be another version of the story which exonerates Sujamal and nails the real culprit. It all depends on whether Jalal believes Jodha - or wants to nowadays believe her - without the situation becoming an MU between them.
There are strong reasons why I think Jalal will believe Jodha and there will be no MU:
1'. When Jodha was surreptitiously seeing Sharif in jail in the Ben case she herself came out with it to Jalal and did not hide the truth. He knows that even if she went against the law she was open about it to him. He learnt to trust her in the Ben case!
2. When Jodha smuggled Babu into the harem, again all of us thought it would become an MU when Maham and Ruq may sneak to Jalal against Jodha. But instead Jodha came out with the truth of the Babu smuggling to Jalal herself, and said though it was against the law to admit that child and hide him in the harem, she had done it on humanitarian grounds. Jalal not only believed her but later also told her, "Whenever you have something to tell me, please come to me and be open and I promise to hear you out with full trust in you". Now it the time for that statement of Jalal to be made true!
3. I still remember that makabra scene where the souls of jalal and Jodha say "That was the last lonely night of our lives!" during the Ben track. I do not think an MU would now be introduced to neutralise that makabra dialogue.
Given the three above reasons for Jalal now trusting Jodha, and seeing the calmness between them in the precap, I am of the firm belief myself that despite Ruq or Maham or Sharif trying to poison Jalal against Sujamal, and despite Bharmal himself being angry and suspecting Sujamal, Jodha will manage to get Jalal's trust and tell him her doubt that it may not be Sujamal who is the culprit but Sharif could be the one.
I have a feeling now that Jalal will silently start a "tehkikaat" against Sharif to get at the bottom of this fracas. He will also trust not only Jodha, but he may also believe that someone like Sujamal who has taught Jodha the art of warfare would not have himself done underhand actions in war when Jodha had been groomed by him to be so upright in her warfare. And Jalal may thus believe that there may be truth to Jodha's doubts on whether Sujamal, even at his worst would do such a thing.
I think Jodha will tell Jalal, "Sujamal came here and met me in a lady's disguise and told me his side of the story, but fled before I could hold him back. He took me by surprise and my own reactions were slow. I am not asking that his version of the story be directly believed, but at least it should be tested for truth. We have only Sharif's word against Sujamal, and Sharif is also a dubious character who cannot be fully believed. So for my sake will you (Jalal) investigate if there may be truth in Sujamal's version? Sujamal has fled Arga by now I expect, but if Sharif is the real culprit, that means danger still lurks in Agra to your life!"
I think thus Jalal will start his own investigation, but he may do it on the sly. Meanwhile, of course, while Jalal is doing his secret jasoosgiri on Sharif, the Creatives may lead us all to the deliberate feeling that Jalal is against Sujamal or disbelieving Jodha. They will give us all the fear of an MU ... but eventually, I feel, will we be shown that Jalal was two steps ahead silently - and did his own snoop-giri to nail Sharif, because he believed in Jodha!.
I think after suspicion turns against Sharif, that Sharif will flee.
This is my prediction, but I am eager to know what everyone else thinks. So please add all your thoughts here, for it's open season for speculations now!
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