‘Freedom at Midnight’: Ira Dubey says her grandfather ‘would recount harrowing sight of trains’

MUMBAI: Ira Dubey is looking forward to the release of her upcoming web series, ‘Freedom at Midnight’. Directed by Nikkhil Advani, the web show is set around the events that took place around India’s independence and partition.

The actor, who portrays Fatima Jinnah, sister of the politician Muhammad Ali Jinnah, shared how her maternal grandfather would recount the “harrowing sight of trains arriving in India filled with bodies”.

“Since childhood, I’ve grown up hearing deeply personal, lesser-known stories of India’s independence movement that are woven into the fabric of our family history. Both sides of my family were directly involved in the freedom struggle–my maternal grandfather, who worked for the Railways, would recount the harrowing sight of trains arriving in India filled with bodies,” she said, according to a press note.

She added, “His brother, a contemporary of Pandit Nehru, was dedicated to the movement and wore khadi exclusively as a sign of his commitment”.

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The actor recalled the contribution of her grandfather during the freedom struggle. “On my paternal side, my grandfather went to prison twice, and Gandhiji himself once stayed at my great-grandmother’s home, while her brother also faced imprisonment for the cause. These memories are etched deeply within me, and they give me a profound sense of responsibility to bring this part of our past to life.”

The series is a dramatized account of the tumultuous events surrounding India’s struggle for independence and the chaotic partition that followed. The key figures in India’s independence movement, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, are brought to life in vivid detail, setting the stage for the series’ exploration of this pivotal moment in history.

The drama doesn’t shy away from the political complexities of the time, capturing the tensions between the founding fathers of India and the colonial rulers. ‘Freedom at Midnight’ is produced by Emmay Entertainment (Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani) in association with StudioNext.

The series is helmed by Nikkhil Advani, who serves as both the showrunner and director. The writing team behind the series includes Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor.

The series is based on the bestselling book ‘Freedom at Midnight’ by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which chronicles the events surrounding India’s independence and the bitter partition that followed. With a stellar cast and meticulous attention to historical detail, the show promises to provide a gripping and immersive portrayal of this landmark moment in history.

The series boasts an ensemble cast. Sidhant Gupta plays Jawaharlal Nehru, while Chirag Vohra takes on the role of Mahatma Gandhi. Rajendra Chawla stars as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Arif Zakaria portrays Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Other notable cast members include Ira Dubey as Fatima Jinnah, Malishka Mendonsa as Sarojini Naidu, and Rajesh Kumar as Liaquat Ali Khan.

The show also features Luke McGibney as Lord Louis Mountbatten, Cordelia Bugeja as Lady Edwina Mountbatten, Alistair Finlay as Archibald Wavell, and Andrew Cullum as Clement Attlee, among other pivotal roles. ‘Freedom at Midnight’ will be available for streaming on Sony LIV from November 15. (ANI)