Freedom at Midnight Season 2 review: A revealingly true classic

Freedom at Midnight Season 2 review

India’s freedom struggle and the horrors of partition, the Redcliff line and the clash of ideologies between Gandhi, Nehru and Sardar will always remain a debate in India be it a dinner table, a coffee table, or a debate in school, college, parliament, tv channels, drawing rooms or streets, many a times such debates come to a conclusion that suits both the sides and ends up on a diplomatic positive note giving hope.

The achievement of Nikhil Advani helmed ‘Freedom at Midnight Season 2’ is the melancholy of that suffering caused due to the partition of India and Pakistan blended within the joy of freedom of these two nations which is strikingly captured that preaches your soul and at places challenges you believes.

In one of the most telling moments of this emotionally charged seven episodes series, we see Mahatma Gandhi – the father of our nation lying in bed and tears are running down from his eyes – though India has achieved freedom, the country is fighting the evils of partition and people are getting eliminated, separated from their homeland, near and dear ones primarily on basis of religion not choice.

Later, the same Mahatma, the father of our nation is questioned for his favoritism and appeasement, there will be takers and non-takers for this but the here the series has the power to rise from the facts and present the truth. It’s a fact that India can proudly call itself a secular nation but the truth is that India got divided into Hindustan and Pakistan on basis of religion.

To make a classic period piece that revisits the good bad and evils of India’s freedom struggle to partition and formation of the constitution was a challenge for any filmmaker. Nikhil Advani who began with Kal Ho Na Hoo’ followed by ‘Batla House’ had established himself as a filmmaker but with ‘Freedom at Midnight’ he gained respect for presentation and attention to details.

Like its previous season ‘Freedom at Midnight’ season 2 also presents characters and situations as they are. The exceptional production designing by Surabhi Verma and Priya Suhass and perfect art direction by Vijay Kodke transports the viewers to the era. Sound designing by Manoj Sikka and arresting back ground by Ashutosh Pathak keeps the interest intact. Ayesha Dasgupta costumes are apt. Action by Amin Khatib is good and not unnecessarily sensational. Casting by Kavish Sinha and Magda Saboleweska is almost perfect. Editing by Shweta Venkat Mathew is sharp and last but not the least – Camera by Maley Prakash peeps through the exquisite decors of Lord Mountbatten’s house to the grief, anger driven refugee camps to the simple and calm interiors of Gandhi’s room to the buzzing and disturbed streets of Lahore and Calcutta (today’s Kolkatta) as the characters – the stalwarts of the Indian freedom struggle go through shock, surprises and revelation along with the viewers.

The writing by a team of half a dozen writers - Abhinanadan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai and Ethan Taylor add nuances and does not damage the tapestry of this rich, insightful and real near masterpiece.

The scenes of exodus and public gatherings and important events are remarkably mixed with actual footage underlining the significance of those events that has left a lasting impact.

Performances

The performances are of highest order

Sidhant Gupta as Nehru, Chirag Vohra as Gandhi, Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Patel and Arif Zakaria as Jinnah live their roles and are immaculate.

Luke McGibney as Mountbatten is very good.  

Solid support comes from Ira Dubey (Fatima Jinnah), KC Shankar (VP Menon), RJ Malishka (Sarojini Naidu), Rajesh Kumar ( Liyakat Khan), Andrew Cullum (Cleman Attlee) and Richard Teverson (Cyril Redcliffe).

Freedom at Midnight Season 2 review – final words

‘Freedom at Midnight Season 2’ – India’s freedom struggle and partition along with the roles played by Gandhi, Nehru and Sardar and their ideologies will remain a consistent debate from time to time. Creator and director Nikhil Advani’s take comes with a human touch and artistic brilliance which serves as a soul stirring, revealing and soul preaching voice that reminds of the joy, pain, struggle and sacrifice of these outstandingly rare individuals and the public in general and who is paying the price that echoes with a chorus.

Going with a deserving 4 stars out of 5 (4/5)

Presented by SonyLiv and produced by Emmay Entertainment in association with Studio Next, ‘Freedom at Midnight Season 2’ is made under the banner of Emmay Entertainment and is streaming on SonyLiv from January 09, 2026.