You can hear a clock ticking in almost every scene of Freedom at Midnight. The historical drama chronicles the events that led to India’s independence, dampened by the horrific reality of the Partition.

Based on Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins’s book of the same title, the series transforms one of history’s most turbulent chapters into a high-stakes drama. Directed by Nikkhil Advani and starring Sidhant Gupta,

The Nikkhil Advani show has a light, easygoing way of telling the story, weaving together different threads that build up quietly. The dialogues and performances strike emotional chords effectively.