Friends, I loved this episode today because it had so much to set my mind working at a zippy new pace! Right in front of my eyes, a few key people in the story (people I had previously thought of as either peripheral to the story - or as not yet in the full bloom of their genuine personas) came to the fore today to display facets of themselves that had me fairly knocked back in suprise.
Notable among these people that I had to re-evaluate in my mind was Ruqaiya, Hamida, - and Jalal and Jodha themselves. (Adam and Maham had already shown me their different sides in the last episode, as I had written in my last post.)
The story to be expected in this episode was already evident to those of us who had seen the spoilers. We had already been told that the Baba Chishti from Ajmer would intervene and solve the dilemma of the religious conversion of Jodha. The weekend promo had also prepared us to expect more friendly smiles and chats between Jalal and Jodha with a jealous Ruq watching on, so we were prepared for that kind of unfoldment of the episode. But what took me by surprise, as I said, was the new sides of some of the people I had never expected to see. I am happy to say I am delighted with what I have seen of them today.
Regarding the "body heat" issue, there were other spoilers and "inside sources" that said things like: "The Creatives have shot three different "body warmth sequences" (of the randy, randier and randiest kinds)and were waiting to see which one to air as a flashback depending on TRPs." As with many other "insider tidbits" that we've been subjected to so far, this was again a huge "tukka" that a lot of the Forum fell for! Shame on us! Never again, let's swear, will we ever take "inside info" seriously! Better to not know what's in store than to hear this kind of misleading crap!
Okay, for today's analysis I have four points to make that I hope will touch a chord in many of you. Here goes ...
Ruqaiya's changing persona - Jalal has now drawn the line on her!
The first pointer to me today that Ruq's character was coming up for question in Jalal's mind came when Jalal was ranting about the unreasonableness of the clerics in giving him this throne vs Jodha conversion dilemma. It was extremely shrewd of Jalal to worry less about the dilemma itself, and to wonder more about who may have tipped off the clerics about the mandir trip at Amer! At that point Adham did a crucial bit of self-talk that since neither he nor his mother had tipped off the clerics, who else could it be that was acting as Jalal and Jodha's enemy? My mind did a somersault at that moment, for Ruqaiya's name was the only logical one that came to my mind. If she had known of the uprising of the clerics and sent off that paigam to Jalal, did she only then get the information herself from Hoshiyaar, or was she part of the conspiracy of instigating the clerics?
The question about the source of information to the clerics seemed to stay on in Jalal's mind throughout the resolution of the Jodha conversion issue, but right at the end of the episode, when he was praying and Ruqaiya came into the room, I got the distiinct feeling that Jalal was beginning to count Ruqaiaya as a possible suspect in instigating the clerics. Her questions to him about his safety seemed to be met by rather detached, cryptic and emotionless words from Jalal. Instead of greeting Ruqaiya, his childhood pal and mate, with their normal friendly banter or a tap or two on her cheeks or even some degree of happiness at seeing her again, he looked guarded, watchful, abrupt. And then she overplayed her hand with utter stupidity. She began by asking of the elephant episode at Amer and followed it up by asking about the snowstorm on the way back that had ostensibly "blown him and Jodha away". That set his already sharpened antennae upright! She was not to have known about that incident, unless she had been spying! He narrowed his eyes and asked outright if she had indeed been spying, which she did not deny but said it was only to keep his interests of safety at heart. He said to her in a sarcastic tone: "Bahut khoob, Ruqaiya begum" and then with a ruthlessness that we have come to associate with him, he decided to tell her exactly what he knew she was eager to clarify: "For the record, Jodha and I did sleep in the same khema". She was left looking like someone who had eked the worst news from his mouth herself!
I was for a moment thinking: "How rude he was to Ruqaiya, his childhood friend. Could he not have let her down a little lightly? Could it not have been said less painfully, less mercilessly?" But then my mind went back to that scene whe she had told him: "I don't want you to go to Amer, and I'll see that you don't". He had then said to himself in near-disgust: "Apni haq jatahne ke liye, meri haq cheen rahi hai". He decided then and there that he would go to Amer. And then just before departing he gave her another shock of her life by that speech where he pretended to love Jodha to bits and said he couldn't forget Jodha and she was impressed on his heart now. Seeing the look on Ruq's face he converted it all to a joke about his non-existent heart. At that time many of us had theories about why he did what he did. But looking at today's episode and that scene in hindsight, it looks to me like a clear pattern:
Jalal is resenting Ruqaiya trying to control his life. He is not going to stand for it. Childhood friend or not, he was the Shahenshah free to choose whom to bed and whom to keep at what distance. And he wanted to get close to Jodha. No one was going to tell him what to do and with whom, and if they thought they could control him, spy on him, he would let them know where he draws the line. He would not wear kid gloves, he would be ruthless, merciless and leave them to reconcile with his actions and lick their wounds!
Ruqaiaya is seeing proof of the notion she has always harboured: that he has no heart. In a way this also proves the lesson Jodha has recently learnt that Jalal repays anything in kind. When you trust he lives up to trust. To those who see no heart in him, he will show no heart.
Hamida plays an astute hand - and her son clearly has her genes!
The other person whom I saw very differently today was Hamida. First of all she was utterly gratified that Jodha had repaid her love by trusting her to take the key religious-conversion decision. True to what we know of Hamida so far, we were all expecting Hamida to say Jodha cannnot be pressured into changing her religion, and Hamida actually snubbed Ruqaiaya quite openly when she expressed this stance.
But then in the sabha when Jalal told the clerics outright that he would not ask Jodha to convert or go back on his word to her (and he was willing to ceded his throne to Rahim, if it became necessary), Jodha herself asked Hamida to make the decision. Hamida then threw a loop over everyone present by saying Jodha would have to convert to Islam! She even went up to Jodha to make her kneel on the rug on the floor in preparation for the rasams.
Maham was dumbfounded at this U-turn by Hamida, as was Ruq, especially after Hamida's stance in support of Jodha the night before! But Hamida's plans had been laid deep and she was waiting, buying time for them to take place. In all probability, well before Jodha even asked her to intervene, Hamida had no doubt sent word to the Baba Chisti of Ajmer (the highest religious voice in the land) to help in this dire case, and the Baba Chisti did not fail her. In the highest traditions of Sufiism, he sent his advice via a beautiful paigam to Jalal " ... to value independence and love in people as God does for his birds in the sky. Let no one who does not love a religion be forced into it. Let everyone be free to follow their hearts! It is against Islam to force-convert". The assembled clerics had no choice but to bow and say sorry to both Jalal and Jodha , couched via religious permissions. Hamida then whispered not too softly to Jodha that she had taken the anti-stance only to buy time as this paigam was expected as a happy solution!
Maham again did a double-take. For Hamida had done a second U-turn. But think about it folks, we have all seen Hamida's son in action at Amer on this Ratanpur Fort issue, when it was all too clear that Jalal himself was the master of the "double U-Turn"! I don't know much about his father Humayun, so I cannot say what Jalal has inherited from him. But I have seen Hamida in action today, and her son has inherited her mastery at the "double U-turn"! He is more brash and belligerent in style, while she is a silent strategist. But its no guess anymore that if he is shrewd, his mother is equally someone to not mess with. Maham today, in comparison looked all bluster ... while Hamida turned out to be a "player".
It is also clear that Jalal has inherited his mother's sense of fairness and "value for a word given". I am also reminded of the time when Hamida once told Jodha: "Jalal usool ke pakke hain". She is also convinced Jalal has a heart that can be found. The mother knows her son well, probably because he takes after her in many things! And that mother-son bond that comes from inherited genes is something Maham will never be able to share with him!
A satisfying end to the pending "issues" - and its time for easier minds!
Okay, today also brought a satisfying to all the pending issues ... Jodha's conversion issue was solved, but most importantly, her other "body heat night issue" was also neatly solved. I liked the way Jalal himself came to her room to see if she was OK after the conversion issue, and he did look like he was of a mind to close out the other "night issue as well" At least he did not try to brush off the topic as on earlier occasions, when Jodha rounded on him and said churlishly: "Please don't think just because you were fair on the conversion issue, I will forgive you for that night". That's when he took the trouble to explain that he had used black sheets to cover her as black cloth retained heat, and he had not gone back on his word (though God knows, he could have done so any time if he wanted to). He also couldn't help tease her that her thoughts on the topic had run so far away that he did not try to catch them and bring them back! When she had questioned him, the Shahenshah, her temerity made him want her to stew for a few days ... but when he got back his throne this morning, he wanted as a tohfa to let her off the hook with the truth! After all even a wicked one as he didn't want to tease her too much, did he?
How relieved Jodha was to hear all this is shown to us by her instant thankfulness to Kanha, and the song she found herself singing to him with a lighter heart. The mood had lightened between them, and Jodha was no longer afraid of Jalal. He seemed trustworthy not just as a Shahenshah but as a husband and a man. He supported her on the religion issue and took the responsibility for the mandir trip. He even offered to give up his throne to keep his word. And then when could have done anything at all he wished for that night, he had wrapped her in black sheets and let her have her space and safety.
Was Jodha happy? I thought she was - for she seemed to smile a lot towards the end of the episode. Was Jalal happy? He too seemed more at ease like the cares of the immediate past were all lifted from him, and his throne and his wife were items of peace!
The new Jalal and the new Jodha - their delightful new comfort level!
Folks, if you see the promo and the precap together, its clear that Jodha is in the garden reading the Shah Nama, which delights the passing Jalal and he stops by to chat with her. The precap suggests that they are discussing what she has read in the book ... but the sweetest, cutest, mind-blowingly "awww" moment for me was the way she imitated his voice and his words back to him! I didn't realise that Jodha ( read Paridhi) was such a good mimic for she came real close to that husky bedroom voice of his and his dialogue delivery style! And boy did he laugh whole-heartedly, as she smiled her sweetest shyest smile back at him yet.
All the while, Ruq was shown peering over the parapet, not liking what she saw.
But I liked what I saw. I saw Jalal and Jodha at peace with each other, joking, laughing, sharing bits of info from a good book and finding the time, space and inclination to be alone together and to listen and respond to each other with the ease of companionship. From the start of the serial I have wanted to see such a scene, and I am happy I got it.
Okay let me end with one thing on my mind now. Maham thinks Jodha and Jalal have slept together, and now Ruqaiaya has deliberately been given the same impression by Jalal himself. So does that mean that Jalal will now shift into Jodhas's bedroom or visit more openly and frequently to keep the Maham-Ruq combo fed with the "we are sleeping together" story? Or will Hamida facilitate this?
By Maham-Ruq's theory they both must be waiting for Jalal to tire of Jodha soon and discard her. But in truth Jodha and Jalal have not slept together, and they are only now hitting a comfortable stride together. So poor Maham and Ruq have a long wait before they decide to investigate why the "discard" is not happening yet! Poor things, na? I wish them "Happy Waiting"!
Health and Fitness
Tum Se Tum Tak
Anupamaa
377