Casting for ‘Freedom At Midnight’ was not easy, shares filmmaker Nikkhil Advani

Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani is preparing to launch a political thriller series titled ‘Freedom at Midnight,’ which explores India’s fight for independence. The series intricately showcases significant events and key figures who played vital roles in shaping the country’s history.

In the show, actor Sidhant Gupta will portray India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. In a press statement released by Sony LIV, Nikkhil explained the challenges of casting, emphasizing the need for actors who could authentically represent these influential leaders. He praised casting director Kavish for his exceptional work in identifying suitable talent, as well as the impressive prosthetics created by Jagdish Dada and his team, which helped achieve convincing transformations. According to Nikkhil, Sidhant was the final actor to be cast as Nehru, and while his acting skills were evident, it was his strong physical resemblance to Nehru, particularly his nose, that ultimately led to the decision.

The series also features notable performances from Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Arif Zakaria as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Ira Dubey as Fatima Jinnah, and others in key roles. ‘Freedom at Midnight’ is adapted from the acclaimed book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, produced by Emmay Entertainment (Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani) in collaboration with StudioNext and Sony LIV, with Nikkhil Advani serving as both showrunner and director.