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First things, first.
Jalaal and Jodha stand in their 'INDIVIDUAL' rights today and maybe tomorrow as well. What Jalaal has done as an emperor is an aggressive echoing of leadership. political dominance and a purely pragmatic step. He has won back what he gave in alms. As a king he has done what any ambitious and truly imperial king would do. The way Achal Uncle tried to corner and arm-twist Jalaal , Jalaal has still been nicer . If it would have been any of the Rajputs, Achal wouldn't have lived to see Vajendar's and Sukanya's marriage.
But as soon as Jalaal steps out of his kingly shoes, takes off the crown and stands next to Jodha , its another layer altogether. Its not exactly betrayal or backstab - its pragmatism and for Jodha , that is the same as Spanish and Persian. From Jodha's POV ( irrespective of whether writers say it through Jodha or not ) , its a twisted game of layered shades of hero and villain that Jalaal has played. She stood by him and up for him and defended him - "If he has not given any promise , he will not give Ratangarh Fort". Even when she came to know the truth, she told Jalaal after much thought , that she is confident that he will find another groom for Sukanya and he will not give the fort . Matter closed. She could not understand why Jalaal threw a last minute googly and she , having understood Jalaal, if not having dissected him yet , demanded the truth from him. Just tell me . Why did you give the Ratangarh Fort? Jalaal didn't answer and left her with a riddling puzzle.
Today, Jodha's intuition that Jalaal was upto something came out in the open in a much worse and disgraceful manner. Yes, Jalaal has done what a truly imperial and political king will do but as a wife, Jodha has been hoodwinked and if she is hurt and venomous , it is justified from a purely emotional POV.
Because all said and done. Jodha had categorically stopped Jalaal from giving up the fort and not kept any grumbles and trusted him to find a good groom for Sukanya. The matter was closing until Jalaal's neurons went into the excited state.
I am not saying who is right or who is wrong. Am just saying that in their spotlight zones, JJ are justified . The problem stems from criss-crossing Jalaal's imperial decision with his fragile relationship with Jodha. Its a huge breach of trust between them and i don't think Jalaal was even thinking about how Jodha will react - as his whole focus was on how much am gonna gloat once i get my baby back. Truth hits home tomorrow if Jodha goes mercurial.
As for the episode, i still see Jalaal's original craving to nab , grab and possess Jodha. The instantaneous cooking spoon stroke to Jodha's hand as he grabs it like the foot of an eagle would grab a spring roll. He grabs her hand so hard that Jodha feels her veins throbbing and it pains her. And Jalaal even sweet talks the priest just so that Jodha's hand stays in his grip. He even voices it to the audience that teasing and harassing Jodha gives him a high - that not even a 100 wars win gives him. I don't see anything remotely romantic or tender about Jalaal's possessive grip. Its the same as it was when Jalaal had held Jodha's hand for the first time. Same smirk, same ownership approach.
Infact , when Jodha manages to escape Jalaal's grip after the 'aahuti', it gives you the impression of a deer escaping a lion.
Yes, Jodha tells you that she knows Jalaal is sweet talking the priest just so that he can hold her hand for a long time. But does she understand what is behind all this tease and possession?
I , for one, did not see anything romantic or tender at all , in Jalaal making springrolls of Jodha's hands. Its just outright physical possession and the high he gets out of cornering Jodha. Am not saying that Jalaal is not falling for Jodha. He is. Jalaal's heart plunges towards Jodha and its true , because like Roggie Beghum says you cannot condition your thoughts and actions 24x7. But... in his conscious mind, Jodha is still a fortress devoid of his conquest. Aaj bhi use fateh karne ka armaan hai. Aur ye rahegaa jab tak dimaag ki batti nahin bujhegi aur dil ka bulb nahin jalega.
I will love to be proved wrong in all this but Jalaal is a labyrinth and all his moments of conscious behaviour towards Jodha have been of 'conquest'. And no, am not taking off-guard moments like Jalaal in Mahakali Devi temple or Jalaal being touched by Jodha's little poem and honey spoon in the same vein. At those times, his heart was the front runner, not his mind.
I liked the end of the episode , though. Achal Uncle deserved all the garbage that Jalaal gave him and all the threats he gave him, warning him against hurting Sukanya. How i loved that Bhukkad's scared face and of course, Jodha's " Nahiin Shahenshah" avoiding a bloodshed.
Kamaal hai. Na Kadoorat ( hatred) hai aur na mohabbat (love) hai, lekin jo bhi hai , bahot gehraa hai. Jodha stands up for Jalaal against her own kin. Jalaal's raised sword finds its way back into the 'Myaan' on one cry of Jodha.
Pretty intense, hmm?
P.S- What black humour ki dukaan today. Jodha maaroes taana to Jalaal that he always snatches things from others. And parallel to that Jalaal snatches back his fort by declaring a surprise war. And while Jodha's folks tell Jodha to go and thank Jalaal, by the end of the episode, poore 'aabhaar' ka 'Ameri Achaar' ban jaata hai. 😆
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