Arif Zakaria & Ira Dubey To Headline Indo-Pak Political Drama ‘Freedom at Midnight’

It’s been 76 years since independence but India’s obsession with Pakistan and history seems to be a never-ending phenomenon. As reported by Variety Indian streaming service SonyLIV has announced a series titled ‘Freedom at Midnight’ that will showcase the Indian subcontinent’s struggle for independence.

The report by Variety further states that the political drama delves into India’s independence movement, weaving together untold tales and critical moments from the era when the country’s then-British colonial rulers partitioned the country into India and Pakistan in 1947.

From the Pakistani viewer’s perspective, the first question that comes to mind is who will play Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah? It’s Arif Zakaria who plays Jinnah. The actor is known for his portrayal of Nehru in the ZEE5 series ‘Hutatma’. He was quoted as saying, “In preparing to portray Mohammed Ali Jinnah, I realized how important it was to depict him as a flawed and complicated human being rather than an untouchable hero.”

He further added, “I intend to add dimensions to Jinnah’s persona by delving into the depths of his psyche, bringing forth his complexity and revealing the motivations that inspired his acts. I hope to give a more genuine and comprehensive picture of Jinnah by adopting this method.”

Zakaria will be accompanied by actor Ira Dubey who plays Fatima Jinnah in the magnum opus series. For the unversed, Dubey is recognized for her act in the Netflix series ‘Scoop’. Speaking about her role, she said “My role in this series is unlike any other I have played in the past, bringing me a unique yet challenging opportunity as an actor. Fatima’s bond with her brother, Jinnah, and her influence on him is a lesser-known aspect. She played a significant role in his life, standing by him from the start until the end, and the series will shed light on this dynamic relationship,”

‘Freedom at Midnight’ is produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for Emmay Entertainment in association with StudioNext and Sony LIV. It is written by Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai and Ethan Taylor.

Will the Indians be true to the historical facts and showcase an authentic enterprise? Let’s wait and watch.