Arif Zakaria, Ira Dubey join Nikkhil Advani’s ‘Freedom at Midnight’

Seasoned actors Arif Zakaria and Ira Dubey have joined the cast of Nikkhil Advani's political thriller series Freedom at Midnight, the makers announced on Saturday.

Zakaria has been cast as Mohammad Ali Jinnah in the SonyLIV series, which is co-produced by StudioNext and Advani’s Emmay Entertainment.

It is based on the book of the same name by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins.

Dubey will essay the role of Jinnah's sister Fatima.

According to the makers, Freedom at Midnight is an epic political thriller drama that highlights “several incidents from the year of India’s independence and interconnected stories about crucial events and personalities who played a significant role in writing the country’s history as we know today”.

Jubilee star Sidhant Gupta, Chirag Vohra of Scam 1992 fame, and popular TV actor Rajendra Chawla are playing Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, respectively, in the series.

"When casting for the roles of Jinnah and Fatima in the series, I was immediately drawn to Arif Zakaria for his striking physical presence - gaunt, towering, with piercing eyes and a commanding voice that exuded authenticity. His baritone and clipped British accent embodied the essence of Jinnah. In a similar vein, I chose Ira Dubey for her ability to embody the grace and strength of Fatima," Advani said in a statement.

"Both actors effortlessly brought these characters to life, capturing the essence of their personalities and historical significance. Working with Arif and Ira was a testament to their talent and dedication, solidifying my belief that they were the perfect choices for these roles," he added.

Advani is attached as the showrunner and director on the series.

The story is penned by Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor.