‘Freedom at Midnight’ to expose why Sardar Patel was kept away from becoming India’s first PM

The teaser depicts a scene where Mahatma Gandhi asks Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to withdraw his nomination for the position of India’s first Prime Minister, paving the way for Jawaharlal Nehru.

Mumbai: The teaser for the upcoming period streaming show ‘Freedom at Midnight’ was unveiled on Tuesday, offering a glimpse into the political tensions during the final stages of India’s independence, which ultimately led to the partition of India, considered the largest migration in human history.

The teaser depicts a scene where Mahatma Gandhi asks Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to withdraw his nomination for the position of India’s first Prime Minister, paving the way for Jawaharlal Nehru.

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The atmosphere inside the room shifts dramatically as Gandhi hands the withdrawal letter to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Historically, Gandhi had favoured Nehru for the Congress presidency over Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1929, 1937, and 1946.

India’s first President, Rajendra Prasad, had expressed his displeasure over Gandhi “sacrificing his trusted lieutenant (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel) for the sake of the glamorous Nehru.”

The series features a stellar cast, including Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru, Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Chawla as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Arif Zakaria as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Ira Dubey as Fatima Jinnah, Malishka Mendonsa as Sarojini Naidu, Rajesh Kumar as Liaquat Ali Khan, KC Shankar as V.P. Menon, Luke McGibney as Lord Louis Mountbatten, Cordelia Bugeja as Lady Edwina Mountbatten, Alistair Finlay as Archibald Wavell, Andrew Cullum as Clement Attlee, and Richard Teverson as Cyril Radcliffe in pivotal roles.

‘Freedom at Midnight’ is based on the eponymous book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins.

The series delves into the motivations, conflicts, and sacrifices of key figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Produced by Emmay Entertainment (Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani) in association with StudioNext and Sony LIV, the series is set to stream on Sony LIV.