SonyLIV's 'Freedom at Midnight' finds Ali Jinnah in Arif Zakaria
After adding a pool of British talent like Cordelia Bugeja and Richard Teverson to the upcoming series Freedom at Midnight, SonyLIV has expanded its ensemble even further. The streamer has revealed that Arif Zakaria, acclaimed for his performances in Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh (2023) and the ZEE5 series Hutatma (2019), will take on the role of the Pakistani leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
Zakaria's approach to preparing for the role of Jinnah
Jinnah was a key figure in India's independence movement. He led the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and subsequently served as the Dominion of Pakistan's first governor-general until his passing in 1948. Zakaria expressed his approach to portraying Jinnah, stating, "I realized how important it was to depict him as a flawed and complicated human being rather than an untouchable hero."
Meanwhile, Ira Dubey will portray Jinnah's sister Fatima
Ira Dubey, known for her role in the Netflix series Scoop, will portray Fatima Jinnah, a close confidante of her brother Jinnah, and co-founder of the Pakistan Women's Association. Speaking about her character, Dubey reportedly said, "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."
Production details and additional cast of 'Freedom at Midnight'
The series is produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for Emmay Entertainment, in association with StudioNext and SonyLIV. Nikkhil Advani serves as the showrunner and director, leading a writing team that includes Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor. The cast also features Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru, Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi, and Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Inspiration from Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre's work
Inspired by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre's 1975 non-fiction work, Freedom at Midnight delves deeply into India's struggle for independence. It intricately intertwines lesser-known narratives from the time when nation's British colonial rulers partitioned the subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1947. Notably, while Gandhi vehemently opposed the partition, Jinnah emerged as its primary advocate. In India, Gandhi is revered as the "Mahatma," or great soul, whereas in Pakistan, Jinnah is celebrated as "Quaid-e-Azam," or the great leader.
