‘Freedom At Midnight Season Two’: Charting free India’s tryst with destiny

When Season One of ‘Freedom At Midnight’ — an adaptation of Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre’s book of the same name — dropped, a few naysayers had some issues with it. To counter the censure, mostly quibbles, Nikkhil Advani, the creator-director of the magnum opus on India’s freedom struggle, had declared: wait for the second part. Any misgivings about the portrayal of Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi or even Muhammad Ali Jinnah vanish like a puff of smoke.

If Season One was a precursor to India’s Independence, Season Two takes you to that historic moment when India breathed free, as well as to the cataclysmic times when the horrors of Partition engulfed Punjab and Bengal. In these harrowing episodes, when humanity acquired a monstrous hue, the immortal lines of Amrita Pritam — “Ajj akhan Waris Shah nu” — echo resoundingly.

Besides, what we may not have seen clearly in the first season is more perceptible this time. Each of the three players — Gandhi, Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — represents a different political approach but all are wedded to the best interests of the country and its people.

Gandhi (Chirag Vohra), a man of indomitable courage, is undeniably the moral compass. There’s Patel, wholly pragmatic, who would bend a rule or two of ethics to meet goals aligned to the nation’s welfare. Nehru is caught somewhere in the middle. He wants to do the right thing by his country, which is not necessarily always idealistic, and so is often faced with a difficult choice: damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. Patel does not suffer from any ambiguity and tells VP Menon (KC Shankar), “Politics ki class mein moral science ki kitab laane wale ka pass hona mushkil hai.”

Patel’s character gets more than one chuckle-worthy dialogue (written by Divy Nidhi Sharma) and Rajendra Chawla as Patel makes the most of it. His portrayal, as in the first season, is rather impressive, reflecting the Iron Man’s sombre side, too, especially when differences between him and Nehru come to a head.

Advani makes us drop all apprehensions especially if you think Nehru did not get justice in the first part. Nehru emerges tall even as he makes what is today considered a big faux pas, taking the Kashmir issue to the UN. Advani views this mistake of his with a sympathetic lens and brings us face to face with the circumstances under which he was compelled to do so, on Lord Louis Mountbatten’s advice.

Luke McGibney, as Mountbatten, is exemplary, even though you may feel there is a conscious attempt to paint him a tad more larger than life. Yet there is no denying that the aftermath of Partition affected him and his wife Edwina (Cordelia Bugeja) deeply even though it was at his instance that Cyril Radcliffe (Richard Teverson) had to draw the boundary line hurriedly.

Surprisingly, Radcliffe, perceived as the real villain of the hastily drawn borders, comes across as a fair man, especially if one keeps in mind his gesture of not accepting any compensation for the thankless job he was assigned.

To many, Sidhant Gupta might have seemed too young to play Nehru, but the actor grows on you.

The episode which brings to life the merger of princely states with India is the most exciting and entertaining. The one dedicated to the Kashmir issue, too, is infinitely engaging. The run-up to Gandhi’s assassination almost runs like a thriller. Even though we all know the tragic outcome, Advani and his team of writers build in enough intrigue. Instead of focusing on Nathuram Godse, the series re-enacts a failed assassination attempt by a Punjabi refugee, Madanlal Pahwa, which adds to the conspiratorial interest. Played by Anurag Thakur of ‘Black Warrant’ fame, we see yet another fine performance by the actor.

Ultimately, the series, executed with fineness, is all about love for the nation, especially of the leaders who were stalwarts. Even the ailing Jinnah (the remarkably effective Arif Zakaria) is humanised with more than one stroke, especially his secular approach. And the lines, “Aap sab azad hain apne mandiron masjidon mein jaane ke liye”, ring loud and clear during the credits.

Credit must be given to the creative team of production designers Priya Suhas, Surabhi Verma, art director Vijay Ghodke, costume designer Ayesha Dasgupta and cinematographer Malay Prakash.

The web series is unmissable for history buffs, but is especially a must-see for all those whose knowledge of history is just a collation of WhatsApp forwards. Given today’s climate, many may not judge these great leaders kindly, but Advani through his remarkably well-packaged series sure does.

Packed with emotive moments, it instils pride in our nation and ends on a hopeful note, reminding us how the Constitution grants equality and justice to all. It’s a heartening thought worth shining light upon, especially in the divisive times we are living in.