The second teaser of Nikkhil Advani’s epic-series Freedom At Midnight released on Friday. The show delves into the India-Pakistan partition of 1947 and showcases the political unrest while Indians awaited freedom from British Raj. (Also read: Nikkhil Advani says Salman Khan backed him after falling out with Karan Johar: ‘Now you work for me’)
Freedom at Midnight shows political face-off
The video begins with the backdrop of the 1920 Nagpur Session of Indian National Congress where the speaker is introduced as Sarojini Naidu. She says, “This session has been called so that the party can deliberate on Mahatma Gandhi’s proposal for non-cooperation.” Muhammad Ali Jinnah is seen interrupting as he points out, “I feel compelled to oppose this motion. Mr Gandhi is taking the country on the wrong path. If we allow people to protest on the streets to fulfil their demands, it can become a habit even after the Britishers are gone.” While opposing him the crowd screams, “You are scared. You are scared of sacrificing for the nation. Down with Jinnah.”
Mahatma Gandhi then comes forward and states that, “I am happy that not just the Congress Committee, but the public has also supported the non-cooperation proposal.” As Jinnah questions, “But are these people capable of taking decisions?” Mahatma Gandhi replies, “You may doubt the wisdom of people, I don’t.”
Explores the split between India and Pakistan
Jinnah can be seen walking out of the Nagpur session by declaring his resignation from the party. As he forms his own party, he can be seen saying, “I am the sole spokesman of Muslims in India. And the league is the only party representing Muslims. We want an independent, sovereign Pakistan. If the Congress wants war, then we shall give it to them.” As Jawahrlal Nehru learns about the proposal for Pakistan, he says, “Pakistan is a mad idea.”
About Freedom At Midnight
Freedom At Midnight is based on the book of the same name by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins. While speaking about the series, Nikkhil stated, “Freedom At Midnight is a powerful look at one of India’s most important moments in history. The show is based on careful research and shows the emotional and political chaos of the time. It gives a deep look at key historical figures, with each character well-developed, allowing the actors to truly step into their roles. The story isn’t just about politics but also explores the human experiences, emotions, and challenges that shaped an era and left a lasting impact on the nation.”
The show is produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani’s Emmay Entertainment in association with StudioNext. Nikkhil is the showrunner and director. Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor have co-written the series.
Freedom At Midnight cast
The show features Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru, Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Arif Zakaria as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Ira Dubey as Fatima Jinnah and Malishka Mendonsa as Sarojini Naidu. Rajesh Kumar, KC Shankar, Luke McGibney, Cordelia Bugeja, Alistair Finlay, Andrew Cullum and Richard Teverson play Liaquat Ali Khan, VP Menon, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Lady Edwina Mountbatten, Archibald Wavell, Clement Attlee and Cyril Radcliffe respectively.
While a final date is still awaited, the show will be streaming on SonyLiv from November.