Sat Nov 16 15:38:05 UTC 2024: ## SonyLiv to Release “Freedom at Midnight” Series Based on Classic Book

**Mumbai, India** – Producer Nikkhil Advani, known for his recent success with “Rocket Boys,” is bringing the historical drama *Freedom at Midnight* to SonyLiv on November 15th. The two-season series adapts Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins’s book of the same name, chronicling the final year of British rule in India.

The series stars Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru, Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Arif Zakaria as Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Advani describes the series as a thriller with a “ticking time clock,” focusing on the period from August 16, 1946, to January 30, 1948.

While acknowledging the book’s polarized reception among historians, Advani highlights its compelling narrative. The series aims to explore lesser-known events surrounding India’s independence, including the selection of August 15th as the date for independence. The production utilized Lord Mountbatten’s personal diaries as a primary source, supplemented by secondary and tertiary sources to ensure historical accuracy.

Advani emphasizes the series’ portrayal of the evolving ideologies of Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel during this tumultuous period. It explores the internal conflicts within the Congress party and the growing irrelevance of Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence in the face of escalating communal violence. Dialogue is drawn directly from speeches and private meeting minutes of these historical figures, offering viewers an intimate look at their decision-making processes. The series promises to delve into the complexities of the time and offer fresh perspectives on well-known historical events. Future projects from Advani’s production company include a series about Indian revolutionaries and a film set in 1951.

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