Thank you for this post! Finally a sane post where Jodha is not put on the pedestal and worshiped or sympathized. I now have the feeling that Jodha soon will be put at the same position of Kanha and will be declared a devi! Her Halo is glowing and growing bigger and bigger day by day.
So many posts about poor "bechari" Jodha and how much she suffers, humiliated and insulted gets on my nerves. I stopped writing here and after ages I am writing to vent out.
First of all forget about being the Emperor and the conservative mughal dynasty of 16th century even at this day and age I want to know and ask which husband after knowing and witnessing his wife in some one else's arms at middle of night will not question his wife and specially when the wife is hiding and concealing herself to go and meet this person??!! I want this answer! Forget about all the glorious feministic ideas and hail to women power, it sounds all fantastic but in reality all women will be asked questions if this happens. And if that woman is not married then parents will ask questions.
And the other way around as well, a woman has the right to question her husband if she finds him in a compromising position with some one else at middle of the night. So a person's character and integrity is not put to insult if a query is put to know who that stranger was with one's spouse. A spouse has a right to know and ask! Period! And here Jalal is the emperor who is there to set moral, social, ethical standards for his country, masses and family. If the emperor follows something then his masses will follow it too thinking that is an example set for the nation. The emperor allows his queen to have a rendezvous middle of the night then it will be an example for all the couples in his kingdom!!
I am surprised to see this understanding, lenient and calm Jalal even after knowing all this. If this Jalal was what we saw back in August / September he would be asking or screaming at Jodha with his sword at her neck. Here he has learnt from his past mistakes and is being cautious before crossing his limits of temper. But is it always Jalal's onus to be understanding and learning from his past mistakes? Not Jodha's?
I am so furious with the CV's for showing Jalal this way. He can't and doesn't take any decisions without being probed by Jodha. Imagine he was imprisoned for not paying pilgrimage tax and what did he do after returning back? Nothing, absolutely nothing!!! I am sure Jodha has to tell him in future that 'teerth kar dena dandaniya aparadh hai' and only after that he will get up from the stupor to pass a law against it.
Jodha has to tell him in future to hire Tansen and Todermal as his navratnas and only then he will do so. He will realize then that they are good men and he needs their company to be the greatest emperor of all times.
Jodha has to instigate him to ban 'sati' and only then he will notice and realize that such a heinous act should be prohibited at all cost!
Jodha has to tell him that he should invent a religion that will incorporate all the great aspects of hinduism, islam, christianity and persian culture and then he will have his own 'din-i-ilahi'.
I am sure in trade and commerce too later Jodha will train him and he will then expand his wisdom in that arena!
He didn't know what was going on in his harem and kingdom, slave culture was very much prevalent and how they were treated unless and until Jodha brought him in to illumination. He didn't know his masses needed a well and there is a shortage of water in his kingdom unless and until Jodha showed it to him.
I don't know what next! Jodha will also train him in war techniques? In taking political decisions? Maybe also a lecture in 'birds and bees' to carry on the lineage of mughal dynasty?! And all he will say is "Jodha begum aap ka yeh hunar bhi kamaal ka hai! Aap wajah farmati hai!"
CV's please spare us, show him as a MAN and show him as the greatest emperor that he was who knew what to do and when to do and did all that was necessary to become the famous ruler of Indian history. Jodha was a big influence on him - yes, she was his inspiration - yes, she was his love - yes, his motivation - yes, his guide - yes, his friend - yes but please give him some merit and credit as well CV's. All you are doing here is showing Jalal as a lost emperor who doesn't have any clue on anything unless and until he is being told or shown every thing by Jodha. All he does is talk to Atgah Khan, MA, Ruq or laze around, if he is not going back and forth to Jodha begum's hojra.
I am sick and tired of this holier than thou attitude of Balaji heroines who can never be wrong and even if they do wrong it is for the good of others. Jodha knows she is doing wrong but her innumerable tears to Kanha complaining of her 'asahai paristhiti' and her guilt dialogues to Moti is all that is required for all the sympathies to be out for her. If she wanted she could have told Sujamal she will not lie or hide anything from Jalal but she did not. Sujamal didn't force her into a promise, he requested her not to tell Jalal. She is intelligent enough to realize what is right and wrong and what will take to keep her marriage secured.
And now after Jodha will be questioned and banished or rather self-exiled then it will be her family and brother who will save Jalal yet another time by exposing Sharif. Whatever good happens to Jalal it will always have to be because of Jodha or some one related to her. Jalal ka khud ka toh koi wajood hi nahi hai! He is there only to roam in and around Jodha's room and apologize to Jodha for all his mistakes and wrong doings.
Jalal has no clue what is going on in his palace and kingdoms and neither does his minister Atgah Khan has any clue nor does his so-called 'jasoos' has any clues of what is going on! The omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent villains knows everything even before the emperor does or his men does and the emperor is nothing but a puppet in the villain's hands. So worthless are his men and army and guards that a prisoner can escape from his prison. any body can come and go from his harem (even men like Tejwant who came to see Shivani) without being noticed, his begum can leave and go any time of the night unless some one like MA brings it to his notice! What 'faltoo' army and men he had!
And CV's what nonsensical logic of Jodha to leave harem responsibilities! If I were any one of the begums I would have given her a piece of my mind. Why did she pick it up in the firs place? Only to do one reform and then leave it in the lurch? What was she busy on? She was going to meet Sujamal in the night then what stopped her from doing the work in the day time? Utter nonsense!
CV's not only are you ruining Jalal's image but you have spoiled Jodha's image as well by making her super human! I can't even relate to her any more.
But I will say this I am grateful for toning her down and making her gentle towards Jalal of late. Kuch toh raham kiya hum sab par!
And last but not the least, where is that passion, the flirting and teasing? Now the emperor is too goody goody, he doesn't look at her with that passion, that cunning look, that sly smile, that desire anymore, he is too scared to do anything! I want Ajmer trip Jalal back, after ages I saw that cunning sly look only once when after Jodha got better after Benazir was killed and when Jalal told her only one Rajvanshi is capable of stinging him and looked up at her with that naughty look. I want that emperor back! I want that look of Jalal of Ajmer during 'ooh aah' scene, the hand massage scene, when Jodha leaves all puzzled not understanding why Jalal agreed to give the Ratanpur qila to Dhawalgarh king and slowly Jalal looks at her retreating back and slowly gives a all-knowing cunning smile, the aarti scene look...I want that Jalal back!
Wonderful post! 👏 Thank you for letting me vent up my pent up frustrations!
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