Posted:
Today was the day of an emotionally egoistic Jodha and an emotionally aggressive Jalaal.
Here's how:
" Dayumn! And I thought for two seconds or so that you are actually worrying about my life, Jodha Beghum. But of course, how can i forget , your mental and emotional geography ends on Amer. Infact , why did i even think in that direction? You are one of those few enemies of mine who come and tell me on my face that they hate me. I shouldn't forget that you are my enemy. And don't you dare ever ever commit the crime of taking pity on me and my lonely imperial throne. I am cool with the life that I have because destiny has chosen me. My head fits the crown and this is my life. And no, I have no regrets . I may always be alone, never loved , always under the sword , but am proud of my destiny."
-Jalaal
" I don't have the courage , the wisdom or the strength to hold this crown on my head or take decisions as a king. I am not hating on you today. I am feeling mercy on you because I don't understand how you can live this heavyweight life which always hangs by a fragile thread, where you are in no position to trust your own people and live a normal life of a human-being. Don't you ever feel suffocated? You are unloved. Doesn't that bother you at all? I cannot live that kind of a life , so here, take your crown , your sword and your robes. I am not fit to take this load and nor do i have any inclination to do so."
-Jodha.
When Jodha had come zooming into Jalaal's room. after Hyperwati was more concerned about Sukanya's marriage , her first thought and frame of mind was Jalaal's safety , not Amer. Had that not been the case, Jodha would have never started her song with - " Kya aap nahiin jaante ki aapka jeevan sankat mein hai? Isse pehle bhi aap par nauka vihaar ke samay aakraman ho chuka hai."... TING TONG! The boating attack incident did not happen in Amer , Jodha. It happened enroute to Amer. ...
Its only when Jalaal looks at her and asks her his fave question these days - " Kya aapko sacch mein hamaari fikar honne lagee hai, Jodha Beghum?" , that Jodha snaps out of her pro-Jalaal mode and switches to " Humein hamaare Baapu sa aur Sukanya ki shaadi ki chinta hai ' mode ( like i had already told you yesterday in my post ) ...and she ensures that Jalaal listens the whole checklist of Amer-ki-safety.
That does it for Jalaal and his lid blows off. He bashes Jodha verbally right-left-center , never softening for even a second except the WTBEEP and struck look when Jodha mentions - " Aapko buraa nahiin lagtaa ki aapse koi prem nahiin kartaa?" to him. He , very very clearly makes her a part of the enemy crowd who hate him - infact , if you listen to the conversation properly , you realize that in his fit of Hawaai-frustration and emotionally aggressive reaction , Jalaal almost calls Jodha the same as 'aasteen ka saanp' . You can see the colours of rage and disbelief coming and going from Jodha's face. Jodha understands what he is trying to say - counting her as a hater and an enemy and calling himself all alone.
This is when Jodha tells Jalaal the same words that she had told him when he was almost dying of the tiger attack- That what use is this throne and crown if you have no faith in your own people and nobody loves you? Why should i hate you when all i feel right now for you is sympathy? Yes, Jodha , for the second time reminded Jalaal that he is all alone and nobody loves him. Well, ideally, Jodha had no need to say all this to him. After he verbally thrashes her in response to Amer-ki-chintaa , she should have just walked out. She didn't. She couldn't believe that Jalaal just counted her in enemies who come and slap it in his face that they hate him. Jalaal was telling the truth and there is no reason that Jodha should have taken it badly , but she did. So, what if Jalaal calls himself alone , unloved and sees everyone around him as an enemy, You have no right to feel pity on him, Jodha... and its none of your business if Jalaal is unloved... or is it? Think it over, Chudail Shehzaadi.
I am not taking anyone's side today - for me it was basically a battle of egos and emotions between JJ. Jodha's Amer-ki-chinta and complete volteface from worrying about Jalaal triggered him to call her an enemy who hates him and is the same as 'aasteen ka saanp' and a stranger too. And Jalaal's royal bashing triggered Jodha into calling him an unloved emperor who has no trust on anyone. And no, the fight did not end well. Jalaal warned Jodha against ever committing a crime of taking pity on him and Jodha walked off without giving a Rajputana retort.
Jalaal had hoped that Jodha will admit at least at this point that she cares about him. Jodha did not expect Jalaal to count her as a stranger , an enemy , a hater. The first part didn't happen. The second one did happen.
As for Jodha's 'Amer-ki-chintaa', i don't know about you, but for me its utter bullcrap. There is enough of Jodha that we have seen to know that she wouldn't take anything happening to Jalaal. The most random proofs being Jodha noticing his untended wounds and commanding him to take off his clothes or even better , Jodha running out in worry on Jalaal's small joke that soldiers have attacked him. That is why Jodha's first dialogue to Jalaal today starts with the worried mention of the boating attack ... because the writers want you and Jalaal to know that Jodha's worry is foremost about Jalaal as the boatride had nothing to do with Amer, Baapusaa, Sukanya. The question that Jalaal keeps asking Jodha will gets its answer - and i am afraid the answer will come with proof. Somehow, Cheapuddin's ( Credit: Ambrosia ) assertion -" Aglaa waar khaali nahiin jaayega" gives you bad feelers that the sword of betrayal is gonna drop again , but not on Jalaal. Its gonna be Jodha.
I don't blame Jalaal for all the cross words and lashings he gave Jodha. He was already so disturbed and pained and Jodha's memorized refusal did throw him off the edge. And Jalaal said nothing wrong except calling her an enemy in a twisted roundabout way.
To Jodha, i will give credit for just one thing. She was honest enough to admit and confess that her head is too unsteady to take the weight of a crown and the responsibilities it brings along.
For the rest, the only other scenes worth watching were the following:
1. Bharmal's genuine and angry worry that Jalaal's life was attacked upon. He cares very much about Jalaal and he is proud of his brave son-in-law.
2. Hameeda giving a royal wash to Maaham without raising her voice - Zubaan aur teer kaabu mein honne chaahiye, Maaham.
3. The Amer fangirling over Jalaal. Adorable.
Oh, my first question to you again, Jodha. Ittne bade bhaashan mein ye 'prem' kahaan se beech meinn aa gayaa? Calling Shahenshah's life a lonely golden cage was enough. Why do you keep harping on this pyaar-mohabbat waala question? Jungle mein bhi pooccha tha aur aaj Amer mein bhi poocch liyaa...*confused munnh*
And the last bit is also for you, Jodha Beghum. Telling you once again what Shaguni had said once and what Jalaal said today:
"Bhaagya apnaa yodha khud chuntaa hai."
Jalaal has realized he is the chosen one . And you shall soon realize that so are you.
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