All in the name of NR Mod Note Pg 6&8

Originally posted by: Donjas

A must read for any producer who is foolish enough to delve into the treacherous world of historical serials. As you have so clearly put it, Natkiya Rupantar is a potent weapon but it is also a double edged sword.

When properly portrayed, a scene inspired by Natkiya Rupantar can be sublime as was the memorable episode where Jalal at the Mazhar pleads for Jodha's life as she lay dying of poison. There are innumerable examples of how gross a Natkiya Rupantar can be, there is the Khyber episode, a couple of Akbar whipping episodes, the locust craziness episode and so on.

I believe success in historical serials depends on the respect the creatives have for the characters. Too little respect, as in our case and Akbar and his family get subjected to the worst kind of depredations imaginable. Too much respect as in MP and Ashoka serials, and a kind of halo is created around the principal characters that is mind numbingly boring to watch.

Natkiya Rupantar or not, there is a limit that cannot be crossed. JA did just that with the leap, and viewers departed, now Ekta and team are trying all sorts of things to woo viewers back with little success.

Should there be an organization like the censor board for movies, which checks for discrepancies in portrayal of historical characters. I don't know, but in the end the best censor is the viewer who has to decide how much crap he/she can take before saying "Enough is enough."

Originally posted by: Sandhya.A

What was it about the once endearing JA that has now kindled a tired indifference in many? What is it that has made many quit and the rest watch more out of habit than interest? ----The evil malice called NR aka Natakiya Roopantar.

History should not be touched if it cannot be handled properly. The CVs have no right to distort the great kings and queens in the name of NR. To strip them of their royalty and make them the standard sbs stuff.

They can add masala and imaginative situations that brings out the essence of the characters. But the writers cannot manipulate the essence of the characters.

For example the Ruqs mc track. The situation was perhaps imaginary. Jodha might have never been nazarband or suspected of foulplay. But the track kept up the essence of all the people involved. Akbar the angry rake falling in love and feeling betrayed and raging, yet collecting himself, taking advice from trusted persons and solving the issues and doing justice. Ruqaiya self centred proud yet just. And Jodha righteous without being rude, fearless and courageous, angry and justifiably so, pained yet proud and above all so queenly. Salima HB were all in their characters. Now such NRs are delicious.

But certainly not the pedestrian stuff like the Mathura track that had the supremo power of the whole Hindustan lie as a roadside corpse to win his lady and standing like a student caught while copying and sent out of the class as his lady leaves to her maaika. And the disgusting Khaibar track where the chief queen was simply carried off by a tarzan. Could anyone dare to touch her let alone carry her off? And her being a willful accomplice in the name of manushyatha was the worst insult to one of the most respected ladies of the era.

The Akbar Abul Mali track...how dare the CVs have Akbar beaten by a cheapo...they had the gall to show him whimpering and crying before he was compelled to pick up his shamaheer ( that was probably half rusted by then). Yes. Heer Kunvri was a warrior queen. If her war skills have to be highlighted why demean Akbar for it. Why not create an NR and weave the story that retains the skills and qualities of the characters involved? Why not Akbar being away on some other war and underhand attack with the help of Shariffu by Abul Mali? And the ladies to the rescue? The queens conduct the mirchi war and hold fort till Akbar comes back and beats Abul Mali black and blue??

The stand of Akbar was resurrected for a short span with the little kids track. Abba Huzoor was beginning to look like an Emperor. But Jodha was compromised. Made to sing lories and weep helplessly for Salim. Would a lady who handled Haj and trade do that? Would she be a bystander to her son being manipulated??

And Ruqaiya...she did remain a chief queen and outlived Akbar and jodha. If she couldn't be punished why show her so black???? Her insecurities were understandable and just tolerable to the point of fake pregnancy. But afeeming was the ruddy limit. And now it is simply not possible to overlook that nag and appreciate her flashes of recent goodness. Why not avoid the afeeming and give the imaginary Haider the honors and leave her grey?

And recently, the part where Jodha says 'as MUZ i will do my duties'... i really expected flashes of intelligence and resourcefullness from her (by now the NR Akbar's buddhiheenta has become routine) but all she did was open a medical camp and food camp in one small village and planned to change the thinking of the entire Hindustan awaam spread acriss 30 lac sq km?????? It was the limits of idiocy making Akbar too stay there to change 'people's opinion' and cook and carry loads when the Sultanate was facing a major military attack and letting his son handle it and feeling 'fakr' about it. All in the name of Natakiya Roopantar.

I don't watch MP. But i read that he was not spared either. The man who upheld his pride and that of his country and refused to bow to the mightiest contemporary too is subjected to the 'totally at sea' syndrome that our heroes suffer from. They are not spared even if they are Akbar or Ashoka, 2 emperors called Great in our History.

And our heroines, the valiant queens who carved a niche for themselves in history are given the worst deal.It is a pity what these mahaan heroines are made to do. Theyare made to utter the most impractical high sounding stuff that is more of a mockery of the intelligence of these ladies, speak that too all high-strung nobility dripping impractical words? Follwed by similar actions too? Ashoka serial's Dharma has exceeded all limits of mahaanta. She is so mahaan that she asks her ruling Emperor husband to tyaag himsa and follow ahimsa as ahimsa is great. What should the Emperor do when the enemy attacks him? Show him the other cheek? What use is such mahaanta that does more harm? That makes one release Shariffu, khaiber with ott dialogues?

We may try to keep the real apart from the real, but the bitter taste left by the reel ones does stay and somewhere tends to overlap.

Don't the CVs owe any moral responsibility to the great historical figures on whose name they make money?