Midnight's Children

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

By: Salman Rushdie

Narrated by: Nikesh Patel, Meera Syal, Anneika Rose, Preeya Kalidas, Aysha Kala, full cast

Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Nikesh Patel stars as Saleem in BBC Radio 4's epic dramatisation of Salman Rushdie's Booker Prize-winning novel of love, history and magic.

Saleem Sinai is born on the stroke of midnight on 14th-15th August 1947, at the exact moment that India and Pakistan become separate, independent nations. From that moment on, his fate is mysteriously handcuffed to the history of his country.

But Saleem's story starts almost thirty years earlier, when his grandfather, Dr Aadam Aziz, falls in love with a woman concealed behind a perforated sheet. That pivotal moment in Kashmir in 1919 sparks a series of bizarre events that will lead to a cryptic prophecy and the birth of a boy with an extraordinary destiny. As a 'Midnight's Child', Saleem has magical powers, and can telepathically tune in to all the other gifted children whose birth coincided with India's division. However, his strange entanglement with the fate of India will have dramatic repercussions for both him and his country....

Adapted by Ayeesha Menon, this dazzling dramatisation of Rushdie's many-layered, magical realist masterpiece is both an enthralling family saga and a riveting history of post-colonialism. First broadcast to mark the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India, it features Nikesh Patel as Saleem, with a star cast including Abhin Galeya, Meera Syal, Anneika Rose and Narinder Samra.

Also included is an interview with Salman Rushdie, in which the author talks to radio drama director Emma Harding about his multi-award winning novel.

Midnight's Children won the Booker Prize in 1981, and was subsequently awarded the 'Booker of Bookers' prize in 1993 and 'The Best of the Booker' prize in 2008.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Critic reviews

"Radio drama of the year." (Gillian Reynolds, The Telegraph)

Fantastic dramatization

I was so enthralled by the dramatization that I want to read the original book now! Thank you BBC for making it so unique, it was like watching a movie! Also, I very much appreciated the interview with the author at the end.

Superb

I remember reading this book in college. This excellent production brought back the book as I then imagined it. One of, if not the, best performances of an exquisite book on Audible!

Magical!

This was so much more than what I was hoping to find in a book as famous as this one!

At once lofty and down-to-Earth

Magical realism meets Charles Dickens. A must read/listen. A fairytale set in 20th century India & Pakistan. Fate, dreams, reality, self-actualization - the whole thing is compelling. Funny and tragic truly in the best Dickensian way.

Excellent dramatisation of a wonderful book

Top level production and acting, which really brings the story to life. One of the best purchases I’ve done on Audible, highly recommended!

Magical, heartbreaking, and gripping

I couldn’t put this book down. Exciting, heartbreaking, magical, and raw. This story held me from beginning to end.

Really nice story and great interpretation

I enjoy a lot this audiobook. The story is well thought, and quite interesting, specially if you like India's history. I actually just regret that the audiobook didn't last longer. The interpretation is great. I would only complain that unlike other audiobooks this one required more attention because of the background noises and the fact that some voices overlap a little from time to time. I recommend this audiobook.

Wonderful story, okay recording

While I thought the story itself was great, I thought more could have been done to balance the background audio against the spoken dialogue, as there were situations where the dialogue could barely be heard.

Wonderful Dramatization & Telling

Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children is masterful storytelling beautifully dramatized. Loved it start to finish. The epilogue with Rushdie talking about the writing of the novel & his fears …

Worthy of “The Big Screen”

“Midnight’s Children” is a delightfully deceptive title for this rich saga that demonstrates the maturity of several decade’s worth of story grounded in a timeless history.

A masterful achievement, Rushdie’s work brings to life with vibrant imagery, imagination, compelling subplots—ranging from comical to profoundly heart-wrenching, the stories of complex characters, told through the eyes of a child from before his birth, through self-actualized adulthood.

It’s the journey of human beings set against the back drop of the evolution of nations, that reminds us of how little control we have over our own destinies despite our deep involvement in our personal affairs and the lives of others. But far from being hopeless, the travels resolve in redemption, making the emotional rollercoaster worth the read for those that crave happy endings, however bittersweet.

I look forward to reading this in print, as the book is replete with subtle allegorical notes that hint, perhaps, at the author’s own spiritual journey and openness to homecomings, which deserve a closer study.

Some knowledge of the culture, linguistics, and historical references on the part of the reader will make this book more meaningful and less of a confusing fairy tale, though curious learners will also enjoy the dramatic character play and magical elements.