Freedom at Midnight REVIEW: Sidhant Gupta, Arif Zakaria show a remarkable fight against religion amid the India-Pakistan partition

Film:
Freedom at Midnight

Director: Nikkhil Advani

Writer: Abhinandan Gupta, Gundeep Kaur, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Divy Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, Ethan Taylor

Cast: Sidhant Gupta, Chirag Vohra, Rajendra Chawla, Luke McGibney, Arif Zakaria, Rajesh Kumar, Pawan Chopra, Ira Dubey, Malishka Mendonsa

Platform: Sony LIV

Runtime: 6 episodes of 40 minutes

Freedom at Midnight Review

The India-Pakistan partition has always been a topic of discussion till date. The past has still been rooted within us, and their troubled relations have kept both countries poles apart. But do you know how it all started? Well, Freedom at Midnight; the epic series explores the in-depth story with emotion and legendary leaders’ fight for religion during the India-Pakistan partition. 

The historical drama explores the events leading up to India’s independence from British rule in 1947. It is based on the 1975 non-fiction book of the same name by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. It portrays the emotional and political chaos surrounding India’s independence from British colonial rule and the subsequent creation of Pakistan. While the show’s ambition to capture this complex moment in history is commendable, it has its share of triumphs and shortcomings. 

What Works

The six-episode series excels in capturing the historical depth and political insights of the story. It brings to life the intense negotiations that happened between the leaders Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. They fight against each other for the deeply rooted religious divides, yet they fight together to set India free from the British Raj. Freedom at Midnight does a brilliant job in providing the viewers with a nuanced understanding of the historical events. 

What builds more stakes is the emotional touch, the transformation, the detailing of every character, and the perfection in each scene and era. The characters maintain the dignity of the legendary leaders from that era and are more impactful and relatable. The show’s visual appeal is undeniable as it shows the dawn of the new era in historical times with lavish attention to detail in recreating the historical landscape of 1940s India. The costumes, props, and locales will just connect you to the storyline and the conflict-ridden backdrop of the subcontinent’s struggle for freedom.

What Doesn’t Work

Despite the show being ambitious, it struggles with the relationships of every character. It might not relate you to every character that you have watched; only the prominent one that has been the highlight of the journey will touch your heart, while the others are just playing their parts. Also, some episodes are extended political discussions and will leave little room for deeper emotional connections with the characters. This is only for the people who love history; a straight watch for a normal viewer will not relate much to the experience and would be less dynamic, especially for those unfamiliar with historical events.

Despite the impressive cast, some characters lack depth. You might also doubt the casting of Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi since it should have been some more powerful character to showcase such a legendary role. This leaves certain key moments feeling less impactful than they could have been better. In a way, the show also lacks attention given to the voices of ordinary people affected by the partition. However, its focus on high-level politics missed the opportunity to explore the broader human impact of the events. 

Technical Analysis

Freedom at Midnight is just perfect with its cinematic presence, as it excels in terms of production design, costume design, and overall visual aesthetics. The cinematography is cinematic, and the period details the historical backdrop. The music score effectively underlines the emotional and political tension throughout the historical series. 

Freedom at Midnight Star Performances

Sidhant Gupta delivers a strong performance, capturing the nuances of the Indian Prime Minister. Jawaharlal Nehru. His conflict between ideals, religions, and practical politics is just unmissable. He brings his best work in portraying Nehru’s significant moments. 

Arif Zakaria as Muhammad Ali Jinnah stands out, portraying a fine balance of diplomacy and underlying tension as he supports the Muslim league. His portrayal of Jinnah’s struggle with the Partition’s ethical dilemmas is both captivating and convincing.

The other supporting cast Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pawan Chopra as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Rajesh Kumar as Liaquat Ali Khan, Luke McGibney as Lord Louis Mountbatten, Ira Dubey as Plays Fatima Jinnah, Malishka Mendonsa as Sarojini Naidu are solid and many actors bring depth to their roles. However, the series often struggles with balancing the prominence of its characters, which occasionally weakens the collective performance.

Conclusion

Overall, Freedom at Midnight offers a gripping and often poignant look at the India-Pakistan Partition of 1947. It brings political history to life with cinematic flair and will be a great watch for history enthusiasts. The historical drama offers much to reflect upon in terms of the subject, but it still leaves room for improvement in its storytelling approach.

Watch the trailer of Freedom at Midnight here: 

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