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Nikkhil Advani Responds to Vivek Agnihotri's 'Freedom at Midnight' Criticism

Director Nikkhil Advani has responded to filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri's criticism that his series 'Freedom at Midnight' whitewashes history. Advani stated he noticed the comment but believes people should watch the show before forming opinions. He emphasized that as a filmmaker, he accepts that public reception will always be mixed, quoting a famous Hindi saying about criticism. The second season of the historical drama, based on the book by Lapierre and Collins, is now streaming on SonyLIV.

Key Points: Nikkhil Advani on Vivek Agnihotri's Freedom at Midnight Critique

  • Advani responds to 'whitewashing' critique
  • Urges public to watch before judging
  • Cites his film Kal Ho Naa Ho's mixed reception
  • Season 2 now streaming on SonyLIV
2 min read

'I think everybody should watch and then...': Nikkhil Advani breaks silence on Vivek Agnihotri's 'Freedom at Midnight' criticism

Director Nikkhil Advani breaks silence on Vivek Agnihotri's 'whitewashing' criticism of Freedom at Midnight S2, urging viewers to watch first.

'I think everybody should watch and then...': Nikkhil Advani breaks silence on Vivek Agnihotri's 'Freedom at Midnight' criticism
"I think everybody should watch and then make informed decisions rather than just hearing what has been said. - Nikkhil Advani"

New Delhi, January 10

The second season of Freedom at Midnight, directed by Nikkhil Advani, is now streaming on SonyLIV.

Based on the acclaimed book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, the show is an epic political thriller that vividly portrays the pivotal events of 1947. The series intricately weaves together the stories of key personalities who played instrumental roles in shaping the subcontinent's history.

Amid the release of the popular series, Advani has finally broken his silence and responded to earlier criticism from filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who accused the show of "whitewashing" history.

While speaking to ANI, Advani was asked if he had seen Agnihotri's tweet on the series. Responding to this, Advani said he had noticed the comment but felt that people should first watch the show before forming opinions. Talking about the need for "informed decisions," he said, "Yes, I did... But after that, he didn't tweet. I think everybody should watch and then make informed decisions rather than just hearing what has been said."

"I think Mr. Agnihotri is a filmmaker, and he makes the kind of films he wants to. And he is allowed to say what he wants to," he added.

When asked if he ever feels pressure while working on a project based on historical events, considering that some people may agree with his portrayal while others might not, Advani told ANI, "Yaar, when I made Kal Ho Naa Ho, some people liked it, and some didn't."

So I think that's always going to be there...I'm not making a story or a film in isolation. It's not like I'll make it, sit at home, and watch it without showing it to anyone... the moment you're a storyteller or a filmmaker, you have to accept the fact that people... 'Kuch toh log kahenge, logo ka kaam hai kehna,'" he added.

Produced by Emmay Entertainment in association with StudioNext, the show is helmed by Nikkhil Advani as the showrunner and director, with a compelling narrative crafted by Abhinandan Gupta, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Gundeep Kaur, Divya Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor.

The series features a stellar ensemble cast, including Sidhant Gupta, Chirag Vohra, Rajendra Chawla, Arif Zakaria, Ira Dubey, KC Shankar, RJ Malishka, Rajesh Kumar, Luke McGibney, Andrew Cullum, Richard Teverson, Alistair Finlay, and Cordelia Bugeja in pivotal roles.

Freedom at Midnight season 2 is being streamed on Sony LIV from January 9.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Agnihotri makes one hit film and thinks he's the authority on history. 🙄 Advani is right. Watch the series, read the book, then form an opinion. This constant drama around historical portrayal is exhausting.
A
Arjun K
As a history student, I appreciate the effort. The book is a classic. No adaptation will please everyone, but starting a debate is good. It makes people curious about our past. Will watch tonight.
S
Sarah B
Respectfully, I have to disagree with the "watch first" argument to some degree. When a filmmaker with a track record like Vivek Agnihotri raises concerns about whitewashing, it's a valid critique that deserves a direct, substantive answer, not just an appeal to watch. The initial criticism was about the approach, not the execution.
K
Karthik V
Both make good points. 1947 is a deeply emotional chapter. Every family has stories. It's tough to capture that complexity in a series. But comparing it to *Kal Ho Naa Ho*? Yaar, Advani, that's a bit of a stretch! 😂
M
Meera T
Just happy to see high-quality historical content being made in India. The cast looks fantastic. Let the work speak for itself. Less Twitter wars, more storytelling please.

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