Mind Play

The LTL sandwich was just the way Ilike it! and I ate it ravenously like a hungry viewer starved from eating a sandwich with the desired filling.It had the right ingredients of Dutta/Nakku,laced with action Dutta,garnished with his mixture of jest and pep talk, relished with a few of his pungent roars, and topped with memorable Dutta one liners... breathtaking!

But the essence of the episode rested on the word Psychology. The strong link between the cognitive and the emotional i.e the heart and the mind, that have to compliment each to make a whole person!

The opening scene mirrored the typical blame game humans play when evading a deeper issue; Kannji's wife rightfully blamed Dutta for her husband's obvious assault,thus avoiding the real issue of allowing fear to lead their lives.

Dutta' startegem of using the ploy of psychological war games, where in the opponent is led to believe that they are in an advantageous postion, giving duress by being elusive,thus convincing them as sure victors,was a fantastic watch. This was evident in Dutta projecting an unnerved image to Bhola the naive,all steam no substance emissary of Ranga. Bhola's preplexed face told the tale that he was guessing about what was really going on in Dutta's mind beneath his compusure. This became even more pronounced when Dutta addressed him as Bhola jee with a tinge of sacastic jest and showing mock submission to his so called captors! and all because Dutta a few private moments with his wife.. And so Dutta continued playing mind games with Bhola by announcing his physical disability , so that this adversary may gain more confidence in believing that there was nothing to this conflict. as Dutta was already a loser,a dead horse in this battle, for any chance of him winning were eliminated due to his blindness. Dutta' psychological war games continued when he humourosly instructed Bhola bahiya to tie his hands with a rope so he could be lead, pulled behind Bhola with the rope.This made Bhola look like a complete idiot in front of all the spectating villagers. Dutta's final jibe at poor Bhola was his reminding him that he best not lose this blind Dutta in the woods as his boss Ranga would not be amused! what a beating and blow to the morale of the Dutta's captors.Finally,Dutta's last psycological attack on his captors in the woods, his sudden halt and attack at the moment when he felt the enemy was complacent and unsuspecting was quite amazing to watch. Dutta's psychological war strategy was complete for the moment with his required method! This to gain supremacy in the war game!

In contrast, within the tent we see Dutta playing mind games to boost mutual morale of both him and Nakku; he uses words,touch to strike the cord between the mind and the heart!; his golden ,almost heoric one liners of" in the past I fought for myself or my family now I fight for others" was nothing short of heroism, his romantic lines to strengthen Nakku when he says"previuosly I fought with death dangling over my head ,this time I will return to live with you "was very moving, finally when he continues playing with mentally soothing one liners" previously I fought with frenzy, this time I fight with tranquility! which wife would not be consoled mentally in a parting from husband situation! oooh.

Dutta's fantastic use of touch in pshcologically resting the emotional heart ,was beautifully displayed in the embrace of his wife to his chest ,it typified the description of a warrior's metal breast plate across his chest ,reminding us that this piece of armour protects his heart! How Dutta reminds Nakku and himself of his mother's words, which believed that Nakku was his protective shield, what a way to let the mind rule the heart!

Dutta's continued soothing of both his and Nakku's heart and mind was shown when he gently asked Nakku to make some thing sweet for him without sugar,thus referring fondly to the night before private feeding each other session; psychologically he was impressing upon himself and Nakku that he would not be gone for long! ; and that he was confident that he would win, despite being blind for he had her strength to uphold him!

His eating honey [ honey is considered the food of the gods by the Greeks] from her hand before his exit, showed that he was her god after Bappa ,and her application of the tilak on his forehead confirmed in Dutta and Nakku that this warrior was involved in upholding the truth,where the Gods would fight for him and with him. Thus leaves the mentally and emotinally tranquil warrior Dutta for battle!

In the final scene, Dutta again appeals to the psychology of the people by visibly leaving his wife behind with them, as a guarantee of his return with the captives. Dutta lastly assures himself psychologically by believing that Nakku would keep the moral high in the village and continue to challenge their mistaken belief that Might is right; and that life is easier if its spent in being subservient to fear!