Pallavi, remember you had asked me for a BGM take ... Well today is the turn for the BGM take, here is a take on my favorite background music from Jodha Akbar and also applying my favorite background music from movies to Jodha Akbar. Double take for the weekend. 😊
The importance of background music
Background music is very critical for any scene. In one of my favorite Tamil movies called Mozhi where the opening scene shows the scene without background music and then with background music- and it is the difference between heaven and earth.
I found the Malayalam dubbing for the movie: https://youtu.be/jv2eM0Dl6oc
Watch from 3:11 and you can see the scene before background music and after. The scene always helped me understand the power of background music. 👏
Okay, so here is my special take on five memorable background musics for me from Jodha Akbar:
First for the nostalgia trip ... For my first three takes
(1) A mix of attraction and hate (Episode 38)
This is the first tent scene after the wedding ... Remember the dagger? The musical journey is truly enjoyable in this scene. 😳
As Jalal enters, the music accompanies the march of a Shehenshah into Jodha's tent ...
As soon as he sees Jodha, the music mellows ... Into a gentle "ishq hai woh ehsaas" instrumental
Then there are signs of trouble with the strings as Jodha reaches for the dagger and as she attacks suddenly we have the
"Ishq hai woh ehsaas" singing crescendo ... There is an instant connect of the dagger in her hand and his hand
As Jalal threatens Jodha and Jodha protests back, there is a more dramatic theme with a focus on the beat from the melodies before ... But at the end, Jalal is amused by his new begum and cooled down ...
And I love the voice that sings in the background as he steps away from the bed ... It is calm but assertive.
And you think the scene is done, when the music rises in drama as Jalal challenges her that he will protect her from all ... But who will protect her from him ... Uff
But, you know Jalal was playful, with the smile and lighter music as he walks out.
So, many shades and variations of background musics in that one scene.👏
(2) A clash of two hearts ... Oh I mean swords 😆 (Episode 49)
Jalal leaves for sword practice ... It is like the calm before the storm ... There is only the winds and suddenly the sound of swords. No other background music.
And the strings emerge, alluding to the mounting intrigue and pull that Jalal feels towards his unique Begum practicing the sword in the middle of his fort.
My favorite part- Jalal walks authoritatively towards Jodha ready to take the challenge of winning over his Begum ... I love the steady, authoritative beat that accompanies his swagger ... This part of the scene that I watch over and over again.
The strings proceed from low to high as Jalal challenges and Jodha Begum accepts and we have a crescendo to the dramatic music as the sword fight begins...
... And the sword is out of Jodha's hands, Jalal corners Jodha to the pillar. As Jalal's own emotions soften, the music in the background softens into the instrumental "Ishq hain woh ehsaas" ... And you think the Romantic scene will stay ...
When we get the dramatic "Ishq hai woh ehsaas" comes to play, as Jodha reclaims the sword.
How the music ebbed and flowed with the momentum of this scene! 😳😳😳
(3) Tent again, but more amicable this time , well kind of 😉 (Episode 78):
En route to Ajmer, Jodha has made it clear she does not want to stay in the same tent as Jalal ... He agrees only to have circumstances and her safety make it necessary for him to say
This scene oscillates between dramatic and light-hearted three times and the music travels along with it
Round 1:
Starts with the drama music: A "majboor" Jalal and an indignant Jodha as Jalal enters ... There is no dialogue. Jalal wants to explain why he is there but Jodha gives him no
Lilts towards lighter music: Playful music as Jalal decides to start teasing his begum, questioning whether she does not sleep at night? At Jodha's retort on she cannot sleep with a stranger, Jalal gives a fitting response that she can stand guard as he sleeps 😉
And the scene seems to be going to Jalal sleep mode, when Round 2 begins:
Drama music elevates again: Jalal awakes to see Jodha missing ... The beats and strings reflect his anxiety and sense of urgency as he searches for her ... But it is but her drinking water ...
A softening to lighter music: Reflecting the softening of Jodha as she begins to recognize Jalal's genuine concern for her ... She trusts enough to fall asleep in his presence ...
and we are all about to lull towards sleep again ... When Round 3 begins,
When Jalal wakes up to a start, with drama music and runs towards the bed and takes Jodha's dupatta ... For God knows what reason! We are surprised, Jodha is angry. And so is the stormy background music that ends that episode!
The next episode moves to lighter mode ... Beautiful guitars as Jodha melts and sees Jalal in a new light and finally smiles. Hasee to pasee after all, Jalal!😆
And just as you lament, why we do not have such scenes recently ... My last two takes are my most effective background music scenes in recent times:
(4) Tension filled love, that is close but so far (Episode 311)
This was in the midst of the Atifa track as it neared its climax ... Jalal had announced his intention to divorce Jodha ... As Jalal reflected pensively and Jodha with tears, on the divorce words a serious, climaxy background music played in the background ... it was serious strings.
Then suddenly Jalal said "ab bohath ho gaya" and the mood of the scene shifted when "Ishq hai woh ehsaas"
What seemed like a tension between husband and wife, suddenly turned into a beautiful scene ... With Jodha in the forefront with her tears and Jalal as her loving support from the background ... He was bearing the pain to save the very Jodha he looked like he was hurting ... there really was no tension at all. That was the beautiful moment I remembered the poem Footprints and the background music played a major role in the shift of the tone.👏⭐️
(5) And last but not least our latest episode ... The Pain of Love (Episode 339)
This was the scene where Jodha gives her baby to Ruquaiyya as Jalal looks on. I felt the background music reflected the poignant expressions of Jodha and Jalal in this scene.
It becomes with a beautiful flute ... Reflecting the beauty of the mamta of Jodha ... She represented the fluid, natural love of a Mother as she gave a tearful look to her child as she handed it to Ruqaiyya.
Contrast it to the foil of Ruqaiyya, as she held the child, a cold, rigid music played in the background- this reflected her feelings, or lack thereof, to the child as she departed with it.
And in the end, we were left with a soulful, deep strings reflecting the pain of both Jodha and Jalal. Jodha was particularly poignant here, as she finally realized what she was giving away with one of her sons.
He was a silent support ... Just like the background music, which may seem in the background, but has the power to drive the scene. 😳
So, what are your favorite scenes / background scores? Thoughts on my take?
And one more bonus take below ...
Sports
