Born at the stroke of midnight in August 15.1947, at the precise moment of India's independence, the infant Saleem Sinai celebrated in the press and welcomed by Prime Minister Nehru himself. But coincidence of birth has consequence Saleem is not prepared for that connecting him with 1,000 other midnight's children - all born in the initial hour of India's independence- and an uncanny sense of spell that allows him to sniff out dangers others cannot perceive.