Nikkhil Advani, a master of long-form storytelling, reflects on Freedom At Midnight and what it was to make a two-part series on the most difficult period of India's history in these polarised times.
Whether Freedom At Midnight 2 has a political agenda, a bias or two will be read into it, depending on the affiliation of who is watching, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Set in the crucial 21 days between 25 July and 14 August 1947, Josy Joseph's upcoming book The Birth of a Nation: The Twenty-One Days That Made India uncovers the dramatic story of how India nearly fragmented into multiple independent states before independence.
Imtiaz Ali's new film Main Vaapas Aaunga is set to delve into the enduring trauma of the 1947 Partition, continuing Bollywood's complex cinematic journey of depicting one of history's most violent and impactful events.
Chirag Vohra has set a benchmark with his performance as Gandhi in Freedom At Midnight.
Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.
Main Vaapas Aaunga transcends its flaws to deliver a profoundly moving plea for humanity, anchored by heartbreakingly brilliant performances, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
If one has to compare the tenures of the two prime ministers one must credit Nehru with laying the foundations on which Modi is building a grand edifice, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Plot loopholes, unresolved arcs and feeble explanations for cruel betrayals, Kartavya's hastily wrapped conclusions and gabby excuses makes it look like a demo reel for a OTT series
'Gandhi was Thakur and Gabbar was Jinnah.'
Prashanth Neel's Dragon promises a sprawling mass action spectacle with its gritty world-building, intriguing historical backstory, and Jr NTR's ferocious transformation as 'Luger'.
'While she was particularly attached to Sanju, she'd spew expletives at him, and hit him with chappals when he misbehaved.' 'She'd even beat me when I was rude to my elder sister Namrata.' 'Today you can't whack your child, but we have grown up with two-three whacks a day.'
Freedom At Midnight is a bold attempt to revisit the whole discourse about Partition, its causes, and the predicament under which the Congress leaders accepted it. It perfectly captures the extremely confused and complicated situation to which it seemed the only viable solution, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
Suryakumar Yadav discusses his successful partnership with head coach Gautam Gambhir, highlighting their shared understanding and mutual respect, which has led to significant success for the Indian T20 team.
If the stories are food for the mind then our digestive system has changed. If they are a piece of art, our gaze has altered. This calls for a change not in stories, but in the grammar of storytelling so that it can cut through the deluge and gluttony and force people to savour, appreciate and re-visit it. That is what the creators of Taskaree or Dhurandhar are trying, points out Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
January has a rich slate of web series and movies on the OTT platform. Joginder Tuteja gives us a quick look.
Sunny Deol. Akshaye Khanna. Anil Kapoor. Madhuri Dixit. Saif Ali Khan. Manoj Bajaypee. Netflix's 2026 slate packs a starry punch.
Which are some of most special places in the world to celebrate Christmas?
With the lady's retelling of history, it is perhaps time for Narendrabhai's government -- which is already remodelling the central vista in the national capital -- to commission a fresh sculpture to replace Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury's famous Gyarah Murti sculpture on Sardar Patel Marg -- depicting the Mahatma and 10 other freedom fighters during the Dandi March in Gujarat 90 years ago -- with folks madam says got us Indians freedom seven years ago.
'Mark had such a profound understanding of India, which was, of course, the land of his birth as well as of his death... He loved India, and lived two-thirds of his life here.'
"This is an insult to India's poor, it is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi, it is an insult to Rabindranath Tagore. With just five hours' notice, this bill was given to us. We were not allowed a proper debate," Ghose said.
As an over-enthusiastic activist put it, it was "freedom at midnight" for the Telangana supporters. The entire region burst in to unprecedented celebrations at midnight after the Centre gave the nod for a separate state. Soon after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram made the announcement, the people, especially the youth, rushed out to the streets to witness history in the making.
Nepal has banned several social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, for failing to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The ban affects millions of Nepalese citizens and has drawn criticism from journalists and freedom of expression advocates.
The order draws sharp reactions from the Opposition NCP-SP and Shiv Sena- UBT leaders who called it an infringement of people's food choices.
Responding to the 'Women, Reclaim the Night' call given on social media by commoners, college students, home-makers and employees of offices will congregate in key thoroughfares in small towns and big cities, including in various parts of Kolkata.
A Bangladeshi court has sent 16 people, including veterans of the 1971 Liberation War, to jail under the Anti-Terrorism Act after a mob disrupted their public discussion.
...a time when his legacy ledger was still positive and before the debacle against China. With every subsequent election, our leaders tend to become weaker. India should consider passing a law that no person should hold the highest office in our country for more than two terms, points out Harishchandra.
'They were born stars the day they were selected for this film.'
BJP strategists are missing something somewhere, and they have not acknowledged it, to be able to repair it in good time, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Uttam Ghosh riffs on a quote from Rushdie's double Booker Prize-winning novel Midnight Children to remind us what Freedom of Expression should mean to every human being.
'When you watch Freedom At Midnight, I want you to feel like you are sitting on a ticking time bomb.'
'Had these leaders known that Jinnah was dying...'
'Often people outside paint a wrong picture of us of Kashmiris. We are not like that. We are cool and bindaas,' said the lady, a teacher, caressing my cheeks in the pressing crowds.
'According to JP, Indira Gandhi was not much of a danger to democracy. He said, it was Sanjay Gandhi and his gang.'
'Today, if someone spits on us, we are ready to kill them, but these men, without raising a hand, led the country to freedom and that's easier said than done.;
From royalty to a tea vendor-turned-politician's wife and from a first lady to a Bengali actress, the 18 Muslim women who treaded the hallowed corridors of power in the Lok Sabha are an eclectic mix, with each of them having an interesting backstory, but one common thread -- their path to power was always strewn with struggle and hurdles.
While India today is vastly different from the India of 1975, the need for vigilance against authoritarianism remains the same, asserts Utkarsh Mishra.
'I have no idea why I was so many film-makers' choice for Jinnah. I assume it is because I was born and bred in Mumbai and speak English.' 'There's also my name, people tend to believe that a Muslim character can best be played by a Muslim actor.'
On that fateful day, Narayan, popularly known as JP and a fierce critic of the then-Indira Gandhi government, addressed a massive gathering at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
'About whether I'm worried it will blow up into something, no, I'm used to these things.' 'I am a voice in the city and have said quite a few things that may have ruffled feathers. But I stuck with them because it's your truth.'
