2018 Mid-March effect lol.

Oh wait… by seeing his name here in this messenger (after searching about him online for over an hour!), I suddenly remembered something. I had actually messaged him on Facebook years ago when he was doing Jamai Raja. This was right after Jodha Akbar, and since it aired around 8:30 anyway, I kept watching. I think I saw a few short clips of Jamai Raja on YouTube, and because I already knew the show, one simple click introduced his character to me again. He suited those emotionally conflicted, slightly upbeat yet composed characters. It feels tough to watch but I guess it was a cool drama series then. I appreciated his performance back then, and if I’m not mistaken, he replied with a “Thank you.” I remember being genuinely shocked, wondering if it was really him! Profile picture was a selfie with a warm yellowish/sepia tone. And somehow, out of nowhere, his name resurfaced in my mind today...maybe so I could revisit those classic performances, from Jodha Akbar to Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, with CID slipped in between. Virtual celeb encounter moment hah. Mohit Raina is lit, anytime, anyday :D Rajat Tokas as well. Now that series drove me to Delhi. The kinds that express so much depth beneath a cool, nonchalant, effortless exterior. They portrayed them so naturally that I'd say the line between the character and you almost feels blurred. And with those chiselled...well I'll stop it here. They evidently put in the effort to embody roles that require strength, subtlety, and a certain intensity.

All I sincerely wish for them is that they continue choosing their paths wisely, in every scenario life brings. It isn’t always about falling into the whirlpool of people, work, and expectations, especially when you’re the one constantly giving and trying to please. I hope they choose what they need to choose and own what they want to.

Glad to share this now, as part of appreciating a few shows I watched years back. It’s been more than half a decade since Jodha Akbar came to its unexpected end, an end that was somehow necessary and sad. All characters managed to do justice to the story till the very last moment. From discovering pure talent to witnessing the breathtaking performances of each one of you in Jodha Akbar, nothing about that experience can ever be forgotten. The elegance, the panache, the sophistication, the grace, the hyper-independent perspective of the characters (that added to the drama and moods lol), and the unexpected journey of transitioning into roles none of you had probably imagined, everything was handled so beautifully in the show. I remember recording and saving EVERY episode on our one and only TV, the ol’ LG and tata sky days. I reckon we kept deleting them because the storage was always full, especially since Devon Ke Dev Mahadev was also being recorded, so the poor TV had no space left at all!

When he was relentlessly searching for Jodha, whether it was after she saved Akbar from the poison or when she left him, the evolution of his love for her and her own unwillingness were both depicted so beautifully. Same emotional core, but shown in completely different forms. Now, how can I not mention the background score? The whole soundtrack carried everything far beyond what anyone could’ve anticipated. “Aankhon Mein Teri” was instrumental in presenting Jodha and Akbar as intended, apart from the relationship it eventually evolved into. YT Music videos for the song were dreamy and out of the world 😊

Rajat had a very suitable tone and vocal modulation. His mannerisms were perfect. He articulated his emotions with good depth, purpose and impact in mind. The decision-making scenes, the layered characterisation, the composure, and even the characteristic silence, all of it made you do complete justice to the role. There was something so befitting about you that made you absolutely fit for that character. Visually and emotionally raw like a shrewd emperor, with lack of grounding force in the beginning of the show. He felt unreadable and unpredictable. He felt…out of reach and overindulgent in closed thought. Responsibilities, reactions, outlooks, expectations, and realities were much humane over time. Evolved with the storyline. Complemented each other. Nothing felt off. Dramatized scenes are tale as old as time though. One more thing, background and styling were unbelievably realistic and thoughtfully done.

On one hand, it was Jodha Akbar, and on the other, it was Devon Ke Dev Mahadev. Not to forget POGO, and Nickelodeon and Disney TV channel (?). There wasn’t an option to record them though. Anyway, every bit of both shows felt like they were functioning at their absolute finest. I wish I grabbed that full DVD set (saw Devon Ke Dev Mahadev! The store was nowhere to be found) set just to preserve well. What a memorable set of years those were, especially to have experienced all of this in early childhood. We had it good. We did. I can never forget that handful of shows that were genuinely revolutionary from every angle…storytelling, characterisation, performances, music, sets, everything. Siyaasat and Razia Sultana too.

There was never too much dragging or unnecessary fillers (mostly tolerable). Promos and teasers were very enchanting. Can’t find the early teaser of Jalal (not Akbar yet) entrance with the strings in the background. They were captivating enough to NOT make me sit there thinking, “No! How many more seconds until the episode starts?”

A lot comes back to me whenever I think of Jodha Akbar in just a quick glance. (which itself shows how deeply the scenes are imprinted even after so long.) Zeal was prominent in each one of you, and that’s what made the characters unforgettable. Ashwini Kalsekar (the CID gal for those who know!) was immaculate in her role.

Wait…am I talking about Jodha and Akbar, or about the actors portraying them? That’s the beauty of it. All of you went so deep into the corners of the characters, the nook and cranny of the storyline, and their growing inner essence. For something like that to happen, the writers, the music producers, the directors, the crew, and the characters’ own emotional landscape had to be in sync.

Loved the ambience so much so that this series drove me to Delhi. I had to have some time alone so I feel it coming for me. Being there didn’t override the experience of watching the show. A very quick experience at those high tourist-attracting places. Exception was the Yamuna river, with no one but me and her. Add a very specific segment of the tomb that catapulted me and mom. That says everything because all the elements of this classic were so in sync with each other that the only real way to relive it is to grab a time machine or watch it again.

Among the many ways we perceive cinema, these are a few “back then” films that effortlessly triggered laughter and lessons.

మీరు ఆప్యాయతతో ఏదైనా ఇవ్వాలనే ఉద్దేశం లేకుండా, “అన్నీ నావే” అని లాగేసుకుంటే, అది పొందాలనే ఆలోచన కూడా అర్థం లేనిదే అవుతుంది.

ఏమీ మిగలదేమో అన్న భయంతో, మితిమీరిన పొదుపు, కక్కుర్తి పెరిగాయి

మీరు దేనిని పట్టుకుని ఊగులాడుతారో, అదే మిమ్మల్ని carry away చేస్తే, మీరు నిలిచినట్టే అనిపిస్తుంది, కానీ ఆలోచన మాత్రం అక్కడే ఆగిపోతుంది. అంతే. వినాల్సిన మాటలు చెవులకే చేరవు!

Climax మాత్రం అతలాకుతలం అయిపోయింది. పెళ్లికొడుకులు వస్తూనే ఉన్నారు.

పరిస్థితి ముదిరిన తర్వాతే అర్థమైంది.

మార్పు రావడానికి ముందు కష్టం తప్పదు.

నాకు అయితే తన బావ going crazy క్లైమాక్స్‌కు ప్రతీకగా అనిపించింది

In April 1 Vidudala (around 35:18), that voice, that song…..magical. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t place it. tip of my brain. Finally found! It felt like a floral aura...petals flying, sunlight with breeze and raindrops.

Aa Okkati Adakku reminds us గాలిలో దీపం ఎప్పుడు హ్యాండ్ ఇస్తుందో చూసుకో సుమీ.

మనసు మారకపోతే మార్గం మారదు. బుద్ధి సరిదిద్దకపోతే, అదృష్టం కూడా చేతులెత్తేస్తుంది . ఈత కొట్టకపోతే ప్రవాహం మనల్ని ముంచేస్తుంది. The father here is a product of his life, profession, and struggles. It’s ‘too much’ if you want a quick conclusion. We’ve all thought like the daughter but hey, wait! Dad was determined to make sure he was the one. Direct, simple lessons!

In Brindavanam, it’s not about the house as an object. Of course they can live without it but talk about manipulation and betrayal. Satisfying to…get it back. It’s about కష్టార్జితం and పశ్చాత్తాపం. The film’s got humour and seriousness to cure the problem at its root.