Shikha Talsania

Midnight's Children is an epic film from Oscar-nominated director Deepa Mehta, based on the Booker Prize winning novel by Salman Rushdie. At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, as India proclaims independence from Great Britain, two newborn babies are switched by a nurse in a Bombay hospital. Saleem Sinai, the illegitimate son of a poor woman, and Shiva, the offspring of a wealthy couple, are fated to live the destiny meant for each other. Their lives become mysteriously intertwined and are inextricably linked to India’s whirlwind journey of triumphs and disasters.

In Mumbai, Sid Mehra is, in the words of his father, an arrogant, spoiled brat. He lives with a doting mother, subservient brother, and a father who covers his expenses and credit card bills. Sid takes his college finals then starts work at his father's business; he lasts less than a week before walking out. At a graduation party, he meets Aisha, newly arrived from Calcutta and set on becoming a writer. He shows her the city and helps her refurbish a rented flat. He asks if she'd like to progress from friend to something more, but she says no: he lacks ambition and isn't her type.