Posted:
Hiya Shyama,
Wonderful post as usual and let me mention, that though I read your posts regularly, I am not able to comment on them most of the times...due to the fact that I generally miss out on watching the episodes and sometimes I run out of time to write something that will make sense!
But nevertheless, I always enjoy reading your write-ups...and let me reiterate once again, that the quality of your writing is far, far ahead of the show itself! That is why whether I watch the show or not, I always make it a point to read your POV!
I will not comment on what you have written regarding the episode and characters, but on something else that you mentioned! You have written about Pavitra Rishta and how the female leads in that show set about ruining the lives of other characters, all with a sense of righteousness😆 Can I possibly agree with you more on this?😊
And not just Pavitra Rishta...but every other Ekta Kapoor soap portrays its women as being the central destructive force, who brings down everyone who comes into their lives!
And the worst part about Ekta's female leads is that they start out being strong, feminist and highly moralistic...the ideal woman...but as the show progresses, they degenerate into the abyss of so-called sacrifice and in that process, bring about the destruction of the characters (especially male characters...and that too the good guys!😆)
So, I am of the opinion, that Ekta and Balaji Telefilms in the guise of being Feminists are actually Sexists...😆 their portayal of women is that they are destructive...emotionally unstable...manipulative...egoistical...self-obsessed...and all with the "24 carat haloes firmly in place" as you put it so aptly! And the men are all victims of these so-called woman...unable to lead their lives in peace and subject to emotional tryanny by them!
So basically, the women, in the guise of being angels are the devils and the men (even though Ekta will show them to be the Alpha Male...and rough looking and tough speaking) are actually guileless, harmless poor things, who don't know what has hit them, when they choose to fall in love with these women!😆
I am fearing that Ekta and her team of creatives will turn Jodha into the same mould as the likes of Archana, Bani, Priya, Prerna, Parvati, Tulsi etc. etc...Women who are outwardly the symbol of 'Nari Shakti' but who in reality are the most foolish creatures who walked the Earth!
Women, who in the name of upholding their so-called 'self-respect' and 'dignity' actually end of committing the silliest of mistakes and hurt everyone in the process! Is it any wonder, that most of the criticism and hatred from the viewers is actually reserved for the lead actress of these daily soaps? Never for the male leads (read any forum...they always have the maximum sympathy) or even for the negative characters (which again, coincidentally are always women)...only for the female leads!
But as you said, here Ekta is impeded by the fact that her show, like it or not, is based on a historical figure...and no matter how many disclaimers she puts...the fact is that the audience percieves the show as being the true story of Jodha and Akbar!
So I hope that she keeps this in mind and tries to improve Jodha's behaviour on-screen...especially towards her husband and not keep showing her as a hot-tempered, ill-mannered, badly brought up girl, who would barely make it the cut as a wife of a small-time solider, leave aside as the wife of the Emperor of India!
Message for the Creatives : Please bring some dignity into Jodha's character...make her look like a Queen...show that the Ameris know how to bring up their children...that women in Rajput Royal Families were the epitome of understated courage and grace (Rani Padmavati...she did not think twice before committing Johar to uphold her honor, but still showed her face to Khilji as a compromise to save Chittor...the combination of pride and humility...valour and practicality!)
And here, apart from showing Jodha to be shockingly rude and aggressive most of the times, not to mention, the general attitude she carries herself with, sadly she is also shown to be foolish and immature...apparantly having no understanding of how much pressure is there on an Emperor to run his Empire...and that too, one as big and diverse as India.
Jodha's anger for having being unfairly condemned along with her family was fully justified...but the way she showed it was not.
She keeps harping on how much she hates her husband, but never once thinks about the fact that it was actually her own father who forced her into this compromise! Akbar did not come to Amer with a rose in his hand to propose her for marriage! It was the Amer King, Jodha's father, who agreed for this bargain, so as to save his sorry ass!
Anupamaa
Pocket Mein Aasman
Cricket
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