Directed by Anubhav Sinha, ‘IC-814 The Kandahar Hijack’ details the true events of the December 1999 hijacking. | Image: Twitter
Netflix India on Tuesday announced that it has revised the opening disclaimer of its new series “IC814: The Kandahar Hijack,” which faced controversy over its depiction of the hijackers’ code names.
Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India, said: “To help viewers who are not familiar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, we have updated the initial disclaimer to include the real and code names of the hijackers.”
He continued, “The series reflects the code names used during the actual event. India has a rich tradition of storytelling and we are dedicated to presenting these narratives with authenticity.”
Shergill was speaking after his meeting with Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju in New Delhi. The meeting was convened after concerns were raised over various aspects, including the use of Indian code names by the kidnappers and the portrayal of some of them as more humane.
‘IC-814 The Kandahar Hijacking’: What’s the Controversy?
Directed by Anubhav Sinha and featuring an outstanding cast including Vijay Varma, Patralekhaa, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swamy and Dia Mirza, the series details the true events of the December 1999 kidnapping.
The series, based on true events and inspired by the book Flight Into Fear by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury, has sparked controversy on social media and elsewhere, with allegations that the makers changed the names of the hijackers to Shankar and Bhola to protect the terrorists, who allegedly belonged to a specific community.
It is noteworthy that a Union Home Ministry document released soon after the 1999 hijacking had clarified that the hijackers — Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Shakir (also known as Rajesh Gopal Verma), Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhtar Sayed and Ibrahim Athar — used nicknames like “Bhola”, “Shankar”, “Doctor” and “Burger” while on the plane.
Following the controversy, social media has seen the hashtags #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood and #IC814, but many kidnapping survivors and journalists have come out in support of the series, claiming that the code names shown were used by the kidnappers.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders like former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi have accused the negative reaction to the Netflix series of being “selective” in nature.
First published: September 3, 2024 | 17:48 IS
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