Sydney Film Festival 2013 - Film Review - Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie

Midnight's Children

Salman Rushdie's novel has been adapted and brought to the screen by film director, Deepa Mehta - although the adaptation remains true to the book as the screenplay and narration for the film is by Rushdie himself. The story timeline spans the modern historical period from Indian Independence, through Partition with Pakistan into the recent past reflecting the hopes and tragedies of tumultuous events in this region of the world. The plot is centred around two boys, Saleem Sinai and Shiva both born at the moment of India's independence at midnight and through the actions of hospital nurse, swapped to different parents.  From that point they travel different paths, one in an affluent family, the other as the son of penniless drunk busker. They are two of hundreds of children whom are born with special powers at this time - ultimately fate will draw them together as protagonists with fatal consequences. 

The film is beautifully shot, predominantly in Sri Lanka (Rushdie's old opponent, the State of Iran, initially tried to stop the film production but the Sri Lankan Government ultimately approved the film. Religious intolerance, old school ties particularly between military officers, family social prejudices and a none-too-subtle criticism of Indira Ghandi are strongly articulated in the film. In many respects, the length of the story could be shorter and the use of 'magical children' is often incongruous with the serious nature of events being portrayed. It is ultimately a film with metaphors, allegorical representations and metaphysical constructs.