Mohammed Ali Jinnah Casting Revealed in ‘Freedom at Midnight’

Indian streamer SonyLIV has unveiled the actors portraying Pakistani leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima in the magnum opus series ‘Freedom at Midnight’.

Based on the 1975 non-fiction book of the same name by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, the political drama delves into India’s independence movement, connecting untold stories and critical moments from the era when India’s then British colonial rulers divided the country. intertwined. and Pakistan in 1947.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a former member of the Congress Party that included the leaders of the Indian independence movement, including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, became the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the formation of Pakistan. He subsequently served as the new country’s first Governor-General until his death in 1948. His closest confidant was his younger sister Fatima, who, after the founding of the country, co-founded the Pakistan Women’s Association that arranged for the settlement of migrant women.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah is played by Arif Zakaria, who recently played another leader of the Indian independence movement, Acharya Kripalani, in Rajkumar Santoshi’s revisionist film on that period in history, “Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh” (2023), and Nehru in ZEE5 series “Hutatma”. (2019).

Gandhi famously opposed partition, while Mohammed Ali Jinnah was a leading proponent of it. In India, Gandhi is known as the Mahatma, or great soul, and as the father of the nation. Jinnah is revered in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam or great leader.

Zakaria said: “When I was preparing to portray Mohammed Ali Jinnah, I realized how important it was to portray him as a flawed and complicated human being rather than an untouchable hero. I plan to add dimensions to Jinnah’s personality by delving into the depths of his psyche, bringing out his complexity and revealing the motivations that inspired his actions. By applying this method, I hope to provide a more authentic and comprehensive picture of Jinnah.”

Fatima Jinnah is played by Ira Dubey (Netflix series “Scoop”). “My role in this series is unlike any other I have played in the past, offering 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 an important role in his life and stood by him from the beginning to the end, and the series will shed light on this dynamic relationship,” said Dubey.

The series is produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for Emmay Entertainment in association with StudioNext and Sony LIV. Nikkhil Advani (SonyLIV series “Rocket Boys”) serves as showrunner and director. The series is written by Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai and Ethan Taylor.

“When I cast the roles of Jinnah and Fatima in the series, I was immediately drawn to Arif Zakaria because of his striking physical presence – lean, towering, with piercing eyes and a commanding voice that exuded authenticity. His baritone and clipped British accent embodied the essence of Jinnah. In the same vein, I chose Ira Dubey for her ability to embody the grace and power of Fatima. Both actors effortlessly brought these characters to life, capturing the essence of their personalities and historical significance. Working with Arif and Ira was a testament to their talent and dedication, and reinforced my belief that they were the perfect choices for these roles,” said Advani.

As revealed by VarietySidhant Gupta (Prime Video series “Jubilee”) plays Nehru, who became the first Prime Minister of independent India, Chirag Vohra (SonyLIV series “Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story”) Gandhi and Rajendra Chawla (Netflix film “Looop Lapeta”) ”) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who became India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.

“Freedom at Midnight” is part of a 2024 SonyLIV slate Variety unveiled earlier this year.