Freedom at Midnight review: Powerful portrayal of partition, amped by stellar acting

Freedom at Midnight review: The Nikkhil Advani show has a light, easygoing way of telling the story, weaving together different threads that build up quietly. The dialogues and performances strike emotional chords effectively.

In Short

• SonyLIV's Freedom At Midnight explores India's partition in 1947
• Creative liberties are taken for engaging storytelling
• The gripping show is driven by strong performances, especially by Arif Zakaria as Jinnah

At the stroke of midnight on August 14, 1947, India gained freedom from over 200 years of British colonial rule. While the birth of a free India should have been a moment of celebration, it was overshadowed by the darkness of partition—when 'Hindustan' was divided into India and Pakistan. Nikkhil Advani's Freedom At Midnight, a web series on SonyLIV, which takes its title and story from Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre's seminal book, offers a powerful glimpse into the trials, tragedies, and turmoil of that fateful period.

The series begins in 1946 with a persistent Mahatma Gandhi declaring, "Hindustan ka batwara hone se pehle, mere shareer ka batwara hoga (Before the partition of India, my body will be divided)." It soon moves over to offer a painful account of India’s partition and the violent birth of independent India. Religious conflicts, border wars, and political sacrifices unfold with each episode, like dramatic scenes in a grand pageant.

If you’re wondering whether this is another propaganda piece, aligning with one side of the political spectrum and blaming the other, worry not. The show doesn’t take sides. Instead, it places you in a room with the powerful leaders who fought for India’s independence and made decisions that shaped the fate of millions nearly 77 years ago. Now, it is on you to decide who you think was right or wrong.

TRAILER OF FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT. WATCH HERE

Was it the stubbornness of the Indian National Congress and/or the All-India Muslim League, and their leaders Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah? Could Mahatma Gandhi have stopped the partition of India? Did Britishers, once again, use the divide-and-rule policy? How much did the last Viceroy and his wife, Lord Louis Mountbatten and Edwina, Lady Mountbatten, play a part in it? You cannot put a finger on just one.

But since this isn’t a documentary, writers Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, and Gundeep Kaur, along with director Nikkhil Advani, have taken some creative liberties to make the seven-episode series more engaging and meaningful experience than you might expect from a history lesson. Mass violence, death, horrifying cruelty, hunger, disease, and homelessness —all of which accompanied India's independence — get minimal representation. And when they do appear, it's often in sepia tones, without a jarring sight of bloodshed. We know it wasn't really this simple. But, it's a web series that comes with a disclaimer: "Creative liberty has been taken, and necessary modifications made to narrate the story in an effective manner." The reality, as we all know, was far more damning.

And it’s got a breezy sense of plotting, stringing numerous threads together to create something that sneaks up behind you and surprises you with its profoundness when you least expect it.

The dialogues and performances strike emotional chords quite effectively. Take, for example, lines like "Aam aadmi vo badlaav laa sakta hai jo sarkaar saalon mein nahi laa sakti" (The common man can bring about change that the government couldn't in years) or "Ye log Hindu hone se pehle bhi Punjabi ya Bengali hain" (These people are Punjabi or Bengali before they are Hindu).

The central characters in the show include Lord Mountbatten, the great-grandson of Queen Victoria, who constantly haggles with Jawaharlal Nehru, the leader of the Congress party, torn between his principles and his party’s ideals; Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the fanatical leader of the Muslim League, who sees only two options: "Ya toh Hindustan batega ya barbaad hoga" (Either Hindustan will be divided, or it will be destroyed); and Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gives up his dream of a united India, over the terms of how an independent India will move forward.

Siddhant Gupta, who was well admired in Prime Video's Jubilee, once again proves his acting prowess as he steps into the role of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. But the standout performance comes from Arif Zakaria as Mohammed Ali Jinnah. He is utterly convincing as the resolute leader of the Muslim League, whose singular vision was the creation of Pakistan. Chirag Vohra as Gandhi and Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel also deliver strong performances. The supporting cast further elevates the series, adding an extra layer of depth to the story.

Nikkhil Advani closes the show just before the horrors of partition unfold on India's land, accompanied by the song "Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye je, peer paraayi jaani re" (A good human being is the one who knows the pain of others). It's a haunting note that leaves you wishing political leaders, from any period — past or present — could truly feel the pain of the people they serve.

I suspect Freedom at Midnight might spark political conversations, and some viewers may take offence (which is widely common these days). Still, if the history of India's partition stirs a certain melancholy in you, this series could grip you just as tightly as it did me.