Pawan Chopra is seen as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in Sony LIV’s new historical drama series Freedom at Midnight. The actor shared that it was challenging to bring the character of the great freedom activist to life.
He said, “The most challenging part was playing Maulana Azad himself. There is very little video footage or reference material available about him. In contrast, there were many powerful scenes featuring Gandhi, Nehru, Mountbatten, and Jinnah. I initially felt that Maulana Azad might get overshadowed by their presence.”
“I had to read the script multiple times to uncover what it conveyed about Maulana Azad. Through this process, I discovered that his secular views and strong opposition to partition were the consistent themes defining his character. These aspects were subtly written but were central to his ideology. I had to bring out his character and personality to ensure the audience recognized and understood him—not just as someone in a fur cap but as a significant historical figure. The consistency with which the character was written made it easy for me to achieve it,” he added.
Pawan also shared that they shot for the series for seven months, and he had to stay in the character for those days. He said, “It was a challenging role because, for seven months, I had to maintain my weight, stay consistent with the language, and constantly think about Maulana Azad to ensure the character came across authentically.”
He also revealed that he delved deeply into Maulana Azad’s writings, including India Wins Freedom and Ghubar-e-Khatir, to gain insight into his thoughts. He shared, “Maulana Azad was an Islamic scholar, and Nikkhil (Advani) sir arranged for a coach, Shahnawaz, who guided me in mastering the nuances of pronunciation.”
Pawan stressed that playing historical figures like Maulana Azad comes with immense responsibility since people know them and their mannerisms. “You can’t improvise freely—you must stay true to the character while maintaining their dignity.
Maulana Azad’s contributions to India’s independence, though significant, have rarely been depicted on screen. He was the youngest Congress President in 1923 at the age of 35 and served from 1940 to 1946. Yet his role isn’t widely talked about,” he said.
“Taking on this role was a way for me to shed light on his efforts. When I shared my concerns with Nikkhil sir, he assured me that Maulana Azad’s presence would leave an impact, and I believe we have done justice to the character. I’m very satisfied with how it turned out,” he added.