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Random Sunday musings (again 😆)
Of late, you have seen me mixing Jodha Akbar with my love for music. Another love of mine is Jane Austen and other 19th century novels. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorites and I am a member of the a supposed imaginary club of people that claim to know its dialogues by heart. 😆
Ekta Kapoor often says she and her teams are often inspired by Jane Austen, for example her latest serial Kumkum Bhagya is inspired by Sense and Sensibility.
But, there were two recent things that struck me as reminding me of Pride and Prejudice and wanted to share in case it occurred to anyone else.
(1) Jalal's help in Shivani's elopement and its role in convincing Jodha of his love and Lydia's elopement with Wickham
Yes, this is one of the tracks I absolutely hated- The Shivani elopement and subsequent forgiveness. But, it reminded me quite a bit of the Lydia-Wickham track.
Particularly, Liz Bennett's reflection on how Darcy could help Wickham, and potentially accept him as his brother-in-law and how she was proud of him that he gotten the better of himself. Here is an excerpt of that dialogue / reflection from Liz and I have underlined what I felt were the most relevant portions ... If this was indeed the inspiration for CVs , I wish they had given more dialogues to Jodha as well like this.
Chapter 52, Pride And Prejudice
Liz Bennett: "The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced of what Mr. Darcy might have been doing to forward her sister's match, which she had feared to encourage as an exertion of goodness too great to be probable, and at the same time dreaded to be just, from the pain of obligation, were proved beyond their greatest extent to be true! He had followed them purposely to town, he had taken on himself all the trouble and mortification attendant on such a research; in which supplication had been necessary to a woman whom he must abominate and despise, and where he was reduced to meet, frequently meet, reason with, persuade, and finally bribe, the man whom he always most wished to avoid, and whose very name it was punishment to him to pronounce. He had done all this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem. Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her. But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations, and she soon felt that even her vanity was insufficient, when required to depend on his affection for her"for a woman who had already refused him"as able to overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against relationship with Wickham. Brother-in-law of Wickham! Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection. He had, to be sure, done much. She was ashamed to think how much. But he had given a reason for his interference, which asked no extraordinary stretch of belief. It was reasonable that he should feel he had been wrong; he had liberality, and he had the means of exercising it; and though she would not place herself as his principal inducement, she could, perhaps, believe that remaining partiality for her might assist his endeavours in a cause where her peace of mind must be materially concerned. It was painful, exceedingly painful, to know that they were under obligations to a person who could never receive a return. They owed the restoration of Lydia, her character, every thing, to him. Oh! how heartily did she grieve over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged, every saucy speech she had ever directed towards him. For herself she was humbled; but she was proud of him. Proud that in a cause of compassion and honour, he had been able to get the better of himself. "
(2) Jalal owing everything he was and his transformation to Jodha before their SR and this dialogue by Darcy to Liz after she admits her love for him. Again underlining the most relevant portions.
Chapter 58, Pride and Prejudice:
Darcy: "As a child I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper. I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit. Unfortunately an only son (for many years an only child), I was spoilt by my parents, who, though good themselves (my father, particularly, all that was benevolent and amiable), allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing; to care for none beyond my own family circle; to think meanly of all the rest of the world; to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own. Such I was, from eight to eight and twenty; and such I might still have been but for you, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth! What do I not owe you! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased."
(3) And another interesting factoid:
I was fortunate enough to take an amazing class in college called the "The 19th Century Novel." The professor explained how in the 19th century that it was not common for the woman to directly praise or be physically attracted to the man ...hence, when Liz is praising his grounds of Pemberley ... Was actually symbolic of her praising Darcy and falling in love with him. Liz as much admits the same in the following dialogue with her sister Jane:
Chapter 59, Pride and Prejudice:
Jane Bennettd "My dearest sister, now be serious. I want to talk very seriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know, without delay. Will you tell me how long you have loved him?"
Liz: "It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley."
While I do not think this was the intent of the CVs, I couldn't help chuckle that this is similar to how the CVs always showed Jodha praising the symbols of Jalal - like his reforms and laws more than the man directly. Each reform / law he passed , made her fall further in love with him ... With the abolishment of the pilgrimage tax being the last one.
In conclusion:
The purpose of this post was not to compare the Jodha Akbar serial with the classic novel Pride and Prejudice. I am also not saying the CVs have executed the inspirations from various novel amazingly well ... But I for sure think the CVs are inspired by the novels.
So, I thought it would be a fun weekend past time to highlight some novels or scenes from novels the CVs should read to get some good inspiration.
I will choose one from Pride and Prejudice itself ... After both have confessed their love for each other, Liz and Darcy have a beautiful, light-hearted reflection on how and when they fell in love with each other ... I would love to hear that from both Jalal and Jodha.
Any novel ideas to share with the CVs? (Pun intended indeed) 😉
Anupamaa
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