Well, my dearest girls,
A few points about last night's episode. I would be curious to know how many of you agree with me.
- Jalal's bone weariness, which is more psychological than physical, was brought out superbly by Rajat. His Jalal last night is like someone who has been put thru an emotional wringer, with no hope in sight of ever escaping it . The adrenaline rush is totally missing, no wonder he sags in the saddle. Even otherwise, there is only so much riding that even a very strong man can do at one stretch.
Plus the ever present, nagging fear, of what would be perhaps the worst loss he has faced so far, looms large, for all his promises to the Ameris. Both Bharmal and he know the score, and the horrendous difficulties in finding one woman in such a large territory, that too one who does not want to be found. It is, as I wrote in this post, like looking for a needle in haystack, and that too with such slow communications.
That is what drains him, and yes, he looked exactly like the 'before" picture in the glucose drink ad. His foot soldiers probably come in relays, and even if not, they are not in the least traumatised as he is.
This said, I cannot understand HOW foot soldiers, even if they lope steadily along, can even keep pace with fast horses. It is ridiculous. When he went to Malwa, riding non stop for 17 days, he had only a few men with him, all on horses.
I liked his farewell scene with the Ameris. He is eaten up with guilt and regret, so there is no point complaining that he need not have apologised so much, or that they should have blamed Sujamal or Jodha. I was glad that he did not break down, but was dignified even with desperation and fear crowding in on him.
This, and the sudden plummeting of his spirits, came out very clearly when the lady with the
moorti turns out to be someone else. His face crumples, and the sinking of his heart is almost palpable. By the time he has reached the banjaras encampment, they are at rock bottom, and that desperation is writ large in his upturned face as he pleads to Allah to show him the way. He
will get a sign from on high, but what?
- Jodha has a very easy time of it, all things considered, and I am not going to speculate on how she walked to Mathura from Agra so soon. Now, of course, while she cannot remember Todar Mal, he will spot her (from a distance), enquire about her, and then try and discreetly inform Jalal.
What I liked in her long lament/ plea to Kanha was not so much her seeking His protection, and a great deal more, for Jalal.
It was rather the point when she breaks down and sobs aloud, her face hidden in her palms, in desperate loneliness and the pain of separation. It was very different from the way she wept after Jalal's outburst, which was like, as Anne put it so pithily, someone who had failed her mid-term exams. This was pure agony.
If the girl who runs off with Jodha's Kanha is Shabnam, I did not think much of her.
I do not think Jalal will find her so soon; they will build up the emotional suffering on both sides. But I do not set much store by the Agra Obi wan Kenobi's inverted wisdom either. She is getting to be more pontifical and tiresome by the day.
When Jalal does find her, thanks to Todar Mal, while Jodha might demur in the beginning, he will of course overbear her objections and carry her off back to Agra. He will have it easier because by then, she would have understood how much he means to her, and would be miserable enough to fall on his neck when he does turn up, looking limp, exhausted and woebegone enough to melt any woman's heart.
I hope that at least after the
shashtaang namaskar, Jalal recovers enough to read her a sound lecture on her cumulative follies that led directly to this prolonged mess. If not put her across his knee and spank her soundly!😉
Shyamala/Aunty
Edited by sashashyam - 11 years ago
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
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