Pakistani director Danial K Afzal on recreating Bombay in Islamabad for web series on Fatima Jinnah

Fatima Jinnah

It's a mix of anticipation and excitement for Pakistani director Danial K Afzal, as his ambitious web series, Fatima Jinnah: Volume One readies for release. The director has envisioned the biopic on the late Fatima Jinnah in three volumes. In its maiden season, Sundas Farhan steps into the titular role as the series explores Fatima's early years in Bombay and delves into her dynamic with statesman-brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Afzal admits that filming the first season was a challenge because he had to recreate Bombay of the pre-Partition era, a city he has never visited. Aiding him in the endeavour was south Mumbai-raised entrepreneur Neha Kumthekar, whom he knows since their college days in the US. "Neha helped me turn Islamabad into Bombay. Fatima Jinnah was a classic Bombay girl. She went to a convent school in south Bombay, and a boarding school in Khandala. Neha helped me recreate various locations - from the Jinnahs' home in Malabar Hill, to [the city's landscape]. For instance, we had installed a fireplace in the house. Neha got it removed, noting that Bombay homes have no fireplaces," he recounts.

L-R: Fatima Jinnah, Sarmad Khoosat, and Danial K Afzal

Before taking the series on floors last year, another major area of research for Afzal was the Petits. Muhammad Ali's Jinnah's wife was Rattanbhai Petit, hailing from the distinguished Petit family. He adds, "Fatima Jinnah had a strained relationship with Ruttie Petit. Also, we needed to capture the exuberance of Petit Hall for a scene."

Besides Farhan, the series stars Aamir Qureshi as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Sarmad Khoosat as Mahatma Gandhi and Aamna Ilyas as Sarojini Naidu. In the maiden season that plays out from 1910 to mid-1920s, Afzal insists Bombay plays a crucial role. "The Jinnahs could never get Bombay out of their systems; they brought the city back with them. We consulted many books, including Reza Pirbhai's Fatima Jinnah: Mother of the Nation. Neha helped me with the research. My art director was on Facetime calls with her every night. We used to show her fabrics, architecture and everything."

The next season was originally supposed to star Sajal Aly of Mom (2017) fame, but there has been a casting change. "We will announce the replacement in a few weeks. This is a clutter-breaking series for us, and we want to do everything right." The second volume will be shot in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.