Exclusive: Freedom at Midnight criticises Jinnah’s politics, not him, say writers

SonyLIV’s Freedom at Midnight takes on the daunting task of retelling the events of India’s Partition through a nuanced, character-driven lens. The web series, based on a non-fiction book of the same name, explores the psyche of monumental historical figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. In an exclusive interview with India Today Digital, writers Abhinandan Gupta and Revanta Sarabhai delved into the creative challenges, the criticism surrounding Jinnah’s portrayal, and their approach to making history resonate with modern audiences.
One of the series’ most debated aspects has been the depiction of Jinnah, which some critics have labelled as villainous. Addressing the backlash, Abhinandan clarified, “The show critiques Jinnah’s politics, particularly his demand for a separate nation, but does not make a value judgement on him as an individual. If you feel that the show portrays him in a bad light, it portrays his politics in a bad light, but not necessarily the person. We’ve portrayed his personal moments, especially his bond with his sister Fatima, to show his human side.”
The writers emphasised the importance of contextualising the decisions made by historical figures. “These were men in extraordinary circumstances, forced to make impossible decisions amidst violence and time pressure,” said Revanta. “It’s easy to judge in hindsight, but the series attempts to place viewers in the moment, understanding the rationale behind their actions,” he added.

Beyond Jinnah, the series offers refreshing insights into Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the former Deputy Prime Minister of India. “Patel’s portrayal highlights his pragmatism, diplomacy, and emotional complexity,” said Abhinandan.
“He was tough, but at the same time, he also had good relations with every political party. He was diplomatic. He could sit at a table and really engage with everyone. So, in that sense, he was a really sort of great political mind. He was also a pragmatist—his thinking was not very romantic or idealistic. But at the same time, he’s also emotional. Like, there is a strong facade. If you see in his scenes with Gandhi, he sees Gandhi as a bit of a mentor, a father figure, and you see that tough facade crumbling for a little while when he’s with Gandhi,” Abhinandan elaborated. In the series, actor Rajendra Chawla has given a fitting portrayal of Patel.

A still from Freedom At Midnight.

When asked about the criticism of Mountbatten’s seemingly sympathetic portrayal, Abhinandan explained, “We distinguish between colonialism as a practice, which we denounce, and individuals like Mountbatten, who also had a moral compass within their context. The aim was not to paint him black or white but to explore his nuances.”
While making the series, Abhinandan and Revanta saw a stark contrast between the selfless leaders of India’s freedom movement and the politicians of today. Abhinandan observed that the leaders of that era were united by an extraordinary sense of purpose, placing the nation above personal gain—even when it meant making deeply unpopular decisions.
He said, “It was an exceptional time, and some exceptional figures were there. They were truly selfless, and they really did put the nation first. Even if it meant taking decisions which were probably not popular, they did put the nation first and themselves second.”
Revanta echoed this sentiment, noting how those leaders, despite differing approaches, could put aside egos and internal party politics to work for a greater cause. “It was an era in which people could agree to disagree,” he said, “which is in stark contrast to how you see most leaders and politicians today, where it’s become personality-driven and ego-driven.”
The series’ dialogues have also drawn praise for their authenticity. While Divy Nidhi Sharma handled the Hindi, Ethan Taylor crafted the British characters’ English. “We wanted the language to reflect their respective backgrounds authentically,” said Abhinandan.
Revanta added, “Too often, when you see foreign characters in Indian films and Indian shows, they just speak very badly. They don’t sound natural. The English just doesn’t sound right. And we were very particular that Mountbatten speaking English should sound markedly different from when Nehru or Gandhi spoke because they come from very different backgrounds. So, for us, that was very clear that we wanted a British writer to write the English dialogue of the British characters.”
Creating Freedom at Midnight wasn’t without challenges. “Adapting a non-fiction book into a fictional series was the first hurdle,” Abhinandan noted. “We wanted to give it a political thriller feel while humanising these larger-than-life figures.” Despite the pressures of the current political climate, the writers remained committed to historical accuracy and refrained from sensationalism.
Revanta acknowledged the current climate of heightened scrutiny of OTT content but stated, “Our intention was to tell the story objectively without polarising or sensationalising. The focus was on respecting history and its characters.”
On a concluding note, Abhinandan and Revanta confirmed the second season of Freedom at Midnight. They said they will explore the story beyond episode six.