Friends, the episode yesterday was a filler showing readiness now for war. Most especially, Jalal is now ready for war. There were three main topics that I thought surfaced in the episode yesterday ... but before I go to the topics of focus let me make a small remark on the montage of the serial that has changed as well.
They are now already showing Jalal and Jodha releasing doves in the Angoori Bagh, and as Diksha says, doves are a symbol of peace. So overall, even though there is a war going on, the ultimate message seems to be that of peace and happiness with no misunderstandings between Jodha and Jalal, even if, as one spoiler says Jodha may have to hide her pregnancy from Jalal during the days of the war, and we don't know what Ruq will do when she gets to know of Jodha's pregnancy as well.
I think the overall mood of the immediately forthcoming episodes will be pleasant ... so Ruq may actually help Jodha (see my prediction below about Ruq's ambivalence). There is also this second spoiler that says Jalal after knowing of Jodha's pregnancy may commission Tansen to come and sing and fill the palace with music to keep Jodha and her baby happy.
So whatever happens with Ruq, Jodha and Jalal, I feel pretty sure that there is going to be no immediate MU or MC caused by Ruq.
Now coming to the three main topics of focus of yesterday's episode ...
ONE: THE REASON WHY JALAL DECLARED WAR WAS NOT JODHA OR RUQ ... IT WAS HAMIDA!
When we saw the Friday episode, we thought Jodha's words to Jalal and then Ruq's words to Jalal made him change his mind in the precap and express his readiness for war. But when we saw the actual scene itself in the episode yesterday, we realised that there was a third stronger reason for Jalal joining the war - and that was because his mother spoke on behalf of everyone to him that Nigar was being backed by none other than Begum Mahchuchak! That seemed to make Jalal extremely surprised and annoyed. Further his mother explained that what Begum Mahchuchak had done was no less that "bhagawat" against the Sultanate. Jalal just boiled over and declared, I can put up with a lot but if my stepmother and my sister think they can hoodwink me, they have MY SHAMSHEER TO ANSWER!"
TWO: THERE WAS THE INTERESTING DILEMMA OF HAKIM MIRZA ... WHAT DID HE WANT TO DO?
All the while that this DEK scene was happening, Hakim Mirza was shown squirming with extreme uneasiness. In fact if I look at the episode overall yesterday, it looked it was mostly about Hakim Mirza. There were three instances when his name - or he - surfaced as the object of a question mark.
First, when Atga and Todarmal apprised Hamida of the fact that Begum Mahchuchak had given her army's support to Nigar, Hamida mentioned how this Kabul-based begum was a blot on the memory of Humayun, and despite her son being ever so loving, she had nothing but hatred against both Hamida and Jalal. Subsequently, in the DEK, Hamida told Jalal that Nigar was supported by Mahchuchak, and we saw Hakim Mirza looking very uneasy and displaying some very uncomfortable body language.
Later, the second mention of Hakim Mirza came when Jodha and Salima were sitting in the Angoori Bagh. Both of them were exclaiming at how difficult it must be for Hakim Mirza to handle this situation when his mother was waging war on Jalal on one side, and how Hakim's own loyalties were towards the brother he loved and respected, Jalal! At that moment Jalal himself came to the Angoori Bagh, although he didn't have too much time to spare. Jalal told Jodha that Hakim's choices of warring with his own mother were heavy indeed to make. Jodha reminded Jalal that he too was in the same situation of having to war his mother and sister, but Jalal said "I have no choice I have to bear it as the Shahenshah, but Hakim has to do it from choice."
In the war planning room, as preparations were going on in earnest between Jalal, Todarmal, there was a third instance of Hakim Mirza entering the focus of our vision. Jalal was fully into war preparations when they actually found that they were far shorter in manpower than the enemy. At that moment Hakim Mirza walked in, a bit hesistant whether Jalal would deem him a fit person to include in his army. At first there looked to be some hesitation in Todarmal and Atga about Hakim being likely to join their ranks, but Jalal seemed to not show his own misgivings, if there were any. At any rate Hakim Mirza then said very simply and as honestly as he could "I want to be one of your loyalists, Jalal, and fight for you, even if it's against my mother. What my mother is doing is not right." Todarmal then said "Having Hakim on our side can be useful" and so it happened that Hakim was drafted in not just as an extra hand at war but because he could be "useful" as well by having some knowledge of his mother's tactics and martial strengths as well.
THREE: WHAT TO DO WITH THE LADIES ... THE SOLUTION SEEMS IMPORTANT TO THE STORY
Apart from Hakim Mirza being one of the important aspects of yesterday's episode, the issue of what to do with the ladies was a very interesting topic that seems to have an effect on how the story may proceed even after the war..
We first had a glimpse of Adham and his mother Maham discussing whether Adham should fight in the war or not. He was not inclined to because he hated Jalal and didn't want to lift a sword on his behalf in the war and risk his own life. Maham then tells him, "A few people will surely be stationed to guard the palace, so I'll try to see that you are one of them and you don't have to go into the battlefield yourself." Maham was counting on the harem and other parts of the palace needing also to be fortified with some sipahis for their protection.
But later as it happened, Jalal discussed this question of what to do with the harem, and he made up his mind to take the harem ladies with the troops rather than leave them behind in the palace. Hamida, when she heard of this plan remarked that the women would be safer in the palace, woudn't they? But Jalal had a very valid argument. He said "Nigar has been here in the harem for so long that she knows the ins and outs of this place like the back of her hand. There is every chance that while we are all in battle, she will find it easy to take hostage of our women if she knows the palace and harem very well. No, the ladies are safer coming with us than staying behind."
Jalal then assembles the ladies together and apprises them of this plan ... and puts Maham in charge of ferrying the ladies with the troops, perhaps as a group following the soldiers who ride on ahead. Maham gnashes her teeth as her plans for Adham are going for a toss again. Now there would be no need for any palace fortification duty and he'd have to brandish his word in war!
Two important things seemed attached to this decision of Jalal's to take the ladies with him. The storyline may see the following development I feel...
See, the men are all talking a lot about their troops being in lesser numbers than Mahchuchak. Doubtless, the Amer boys will come now and try to swell the ranks of Jalal with their own troops. But even so I feel that if Jalal finds himself short of soldiers, Salima and Ruq and Jodha may have to be drafted in to do their bit of fighting too, at least against Nigar?
At this stage we find in the precap, that the lady hakim declares to Jodha that she is pregnant. Naturally if Jodha knows on the eve of their departure to the battlefield that she is pregnant, she is going to have a big personal dilemma as to when to tell the good news to Jalal. Even yesterday Jalal looked rather distracted the whole day and when Jodha did his aarti and the shamsheer puja and raised war songs for him with her Hindu bandhis, he still looked sombre and preoccupied. Many things must be on the mind of a Shahenshah making last minute preparations for war with a troop far smaller than he would have liked. I am not surprised therefore that the spoilers yesterday said Jodha would decide to tell Jalal about the pregnancy only after the war so as not to distract him.
The spoiler also says that Ruq gets to know this secret of Jodha's and the spoiler asks whether Ruq will betray or help Jodha. I think Ruq owes one favour to Jodha as she had said once in her own words. So my own hunch is that when the time comes for the ladies who know fighting to also perhaps join the war and add their might to the army, Salima will go readily and so will Ruq, but Ruq will ensure that Jodha doesn't go. (That could account for the fact that pictures have come out that show Salima and Ruq in war dress, but not Jodha?)
Nevertheless, I am not sure what to expect here, because very much earlier some spoilers had said that Jalal would refuse to fight Nigar, and therefore Jodha would fight her and win her. Maybe that was the original storyline, but since the Creatives have now decided to introduce this Jodha pregnancy earlier than they planned (as a boost for sliding TRPs), maybe the plan now is that Ruq and Salima will fight but not Jodha?
Regarding Ruq's own ambivalent attitude towards Jodha, I think she will blow hot and cold
I feel that at this stage Ruq may actually be quite friendly to Jodha since the child she may be carrying is actually Jalal's child! So she may actually be protective of Jodha and see that she does not enter the war and risk losing the child. But later, after the war, when Ruq sees Jalal giving Jodha so much attention (like engaging Tansen to sing sweet songs for Jodha etc.), that is when Ruq will start having active jealousies at Jodha and may even try to disrupt her pregnancy ... and this may get Ruq caught and punished especially if Maham knows exactly what Ruq is up to.
Apart from all this there were two scenes that I found particularly funny yesterday ...
One, the way Mahchuchak despatched Haider out of the room when she wanted to talk to Nigar and Abul Mali ... and poor Haider (her husband!) had to walk out with his tail between his legs like a scolded puppy dog!
Two, Maham still telling Adham, "Whether Jalal wins the war or not, we are sure to win our ambitions." Haha! On what is she basing this presumption, God knows. Is it because she thinks Chand Begum is in her grasp in the surang next to her bedroom? Has she checked the surang lately? It's my feeling that Chand Begum may have escaped the surang.
Or there's another possibility. ... what is Maham going to do with Chand Begum when the palace has to be vacated of all the ladies there and all of them have to go to the battlefield? I think Chand Begum will also be taken by Maham by disguising her under a chaaddar, and kept hidden from view of the other ladies. But at the battlefield when Nigar is caught as a prisoner, Chand Begum may lose her chaaddar and her pretend-madness and do a bhandaphod of Maham and tell Nigar a few home truths about Jalal being for and not against her, which may make Nigar want to stop the war! If this is likely to happen, I would enjoy the scene very much indeed!
Accha, for those who want a quick gist of the whole episode as it happened, here it is!
The episode opens with Hamida praying for wisdom for Jalal to choose the right path as the Shahenshah who has the protection of his praja in mind. Just then Atga and Todarmal come in and request Hamida's attention. She is startled to see them both so early in the morning. Atga and Todarmal then say that they have found out who is supporting Nigar in this war - it is none other than Begum Mahchuchak! Hamida gets a major shock on hearing this. "I know this woman hates both me and Jalal, " she says "but I never thought she would do this "bhagawat" against the Sultanate. She is a blot on the memory of Humayun!". Todarmal and Atga tell Hamida "Jalal is already showing reluctance to engage in this war against his own sister. But we need your help to tell him to please fight this war, as the issues are too risky now for Jalal's takht if Mahchuchak is behind all this lending her support to Nigar!" Hamida agrees to help.
Later at the DEK, Jalal asks why his mother summoned him to the DEK if she wanted to talk to him alone? Hamida says "I called you here to tell you what I know because I wanted to address you as the Shahenshah and not as my son. The person you have to fight really, the hand behind Nigar, is Begum Mahchuchak, who is sending her armies and acting as the bhaagi here!" Hearing this makes Hakim Mirza squirm uneasily, his whole body and face contorting with discomfort. But meanwhile Jalal looks aghast. If Jodha and Ruq's words were not already acting on him, Hamida's words this morning seals it. He declares with menace "I normally would not put my people at risk of war, but if my own Ammijaan and my sister think they can cross me, THEN MY SHAMSHEER WIL SHOW THEM THEIR PLACE". He almost shouts the last of his words and there is no doubt in anyone that Jalal has declared war! Cries of "Akbar Zindabad!" rise in the DEK, and Jodha looks happy at his decision.
Meanwhile at Kabul, Nigar and Abul mali have come to visit Mahchuchak. To my utter surprise, Mahchuchak then tells her husband Haider to vanish as she wants to speak to Nigar alone. He goes off, seething under the obvious disrespect! Then Mahchuchak congratulates Nigar that she would soon own the Delhi and Agra takhts. She shows Nigar a lot of dripping blood everywhere saying "This is what we do to our enemies!". She then bids Nigar to rest till the next day when they would have to leave for war, and tells Abul Mali that his wife (and her daughter) is waiting for him! After Nigar leaves the room, Mahchuchak self-talks about double-crossing Nigar and taking Jalal's takht for herself!
At Agra, meanwhile, Adham is whining to his mother that he does not want to risk his life and go to war for Jalal, whom he hates. His mother sees his point as she too doesn't want to lose her son to war when they are so close to getting the Delhi takht! "I will see that you are posted as one of the protectors of the palace" she promised. She also licks her lips that no matter whether Jalal lost or won the war, with the trump card Chand Begum in her hands, she and her son would always win their hand!
Jodha and Salima are later sitting in the Angoori bagh and discussing the strange and vexing dilemma that Mirza Hakim must be having, since his own mother was on the other side of the battle. Jalal joins the ladies there but says he doesn't have time for a long chat as he is in the midst of war preparations. But he says "I know Hakim must be going through hell. He is very loyal and loving to me as a brother, and I trust him. But this choice can't be easy." Jodha tells Jalal "But you too are fighting your own mother and sister, aren't you? You too are making the same choice!" Jalal replies "Yes, but I really have no choice for I am the Shahenshah, but Hakim has to make that choice of his own volition!"
In the war planning room, a little later, Jalal, Atga and Todarmal are in deep discussion about their own positions, the enemy positions and the relative strengths they have of troops at their disposal. "We have less troops" Atga says, but Jalal counters "Yes, but it's not the numbers of troops that matter but their fighting smarts." Just then Hakim Mirza walks into the room and says to Jalal "I know that my mother being a bhaagi puts a question mark against me too. But I sincerely want to fight for you Shahenshah, for what my mother is doing is not right!" Todarmal sees the additional merit in taking him on not just as an extra hand in the fight but because having Hakim would be "useful" as he would know the enemy strategies, perhaps. So all in all, Jalal praises Hakim's wafaadaari and says he had no reservations on that score!
While they are thus talking, Jalal also comes to the question of what to do with the harem ladies. He then decides that they should go with the troops and not stay back in the palace. Todarmal questions this decision on account of the risks to the ladies' safety at the battlefront, but Jalal says "Think of this. Nigar knows every inch of the palace and the harem. How safe would they all be here if we leave them behind and Nigar could play havoc with them while we are engaged in war? No, it's better they all come with us!" Todarmal and Atga have to agree.
Jalal also apprises his mother of the same point when he subsequently assembles all the ladies together to tell them that they had better be ready to move immediately. He then looks at Maham and addresses her as "Mahamanga" and says "You will be in charge of leading the ladies behind our troops." Maham accepts but with a gnash of her teeth. Her plans to get Adham posted at the palace as a non-fighting sipahi go for a toss.
As the time for war draws near, Jalal is seen getting dressed. His mood is sombre, his mind is on many different things, no doubt, and he greets Jodha who enters the room with less than full attention. Jodha is carrying an aarti tray and prasad. She gave him some prasad and says she still has to do the "asthra puja" for him. He silently bows his head and accepts her puja. Along with Jodha are all the Hindu bandhis who all then break into a war song of "valour and invincibility and God's blessings upon Jalal" as Jodha does the aarti for Jalal and also for his shamsheer. She then lifts his shamsheer and gives it to him, which he takes with utmost respect. It is by no means a sentimental scene between husband and wife ... but then he is a fighter, a warrior, and she is the daughter of the Rajvanshi tradition of valour. War-readiness must have been uppermost in both minds and sentiment would have to wait for another day!
In the precap, Jodha is seen lying on a bed and a lady hakim examining her says "Congrats, you are to be a mother". Jodha is filled with happiness as is Moti too! I suspect this scene takes place just after the men have left and the women are getting ready to depart as well.
Meanwhile a lot of new pictures are beginning to appear on the forum. I just saw one of Jodha in Mughal livas. I suspect all these are of the current shooting taking place of Tansen and the palace atmosphere of lightness and cheer after the war, maybe even Jodha's godbharayi?
It's a bit confusing what spoilers are part of the war and what are after the war. Let's wait and see!
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