We created 86 sets, besides on-location shoots” Nikkhil Advani Shares Behind the Scenes glimpses from Freedom at Midnight !
We created 86 sets, besides on-location shoots” Nikkhil Advani Shares Behind the Scenes glimpses from Freedom at Midnight !
Chennai 17 November 2024 As Sony LIV prepares to unveil its most ambitious project yet, Freedom at Midnight, Director and showrunner – Nikkhil Advani offers a glimpse into the meticulous craftsmanship that has gone into recreating India’s pivotal moment in history. Advani, known for his attention to detail, reveals that he insisted on an unprecedented year-long preparation period with his team. Bringing to life iconic locations like Rashtrapati Bhavan, formerly the Viceroy’s House, where India’s independence was declared, posed one of the most significant challenges. From intricate costumes to precise set designs, every element was crafted to evoke the spirit of India’s struggle for independence.
“Normally, you need 16 weeks of prep for any show, but for Freedom at Midnight, I said we needed at least a year with the team. You can’t tell the story of independence without Rashtrapati Bhavan. We didn’t get access to the actual location, so we created 86 sets, in addition to on-location shoots, to capture the accurate feel and vibe. To transport audiences to the 1900s, casting and set decoration were carefully considered. We had to show that this story took place in that era,” Advani explains.
Produced by Emmay Entertainment (Monisha Advani & Madhu Bhojwani) in association with StudioNext, Freedom at Midnight boasts a stellar team behind the scenes. Nikkhil Advani spearheads this project as the showrunner and director, while the story is penned by a talented team, including Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor. Based on the eponymous book by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, the series delves deep into the tumultuous events surrounding India’s struggle for independence.
The series features a stellar cast, including Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru, Chirag Vohra as Mohandas Karamchand 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, Richard Teverson as Cyril Radcliffe in pivotal roles.
Get ready to witness history unfold like never before with Freedom at Midnight, streaming on 15th November only on Sony LIV!