Mumbai: The release of the crime thriller drama television mini-series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ has sparked widespread controversy online. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the series vividly portrays the harrowing 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814. However, it has faced significant backlash from viewers who accuse the creators of altering key historical facts and attempting to humanize the terrorists involved.
The series recounts the story of six terrorists belonging to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen group. The individuals—identified as Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir—commandeered the flight to demand the release of Pakistani terrorists Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Masood Azhar, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar imprisoned in India. These events led to a seven-day hostage crisis ultimately ending with India’s concession to the terrorists’ demands.
Despite being grounded in such a sensitive and poignant real-life event, ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ faces vehement critique for its portrayal of the hijackers. Social media platforms are ablaze with complaints about the alleged whitewashing of the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, and misleading content that seems to manipulate the narrative, particularly concerning the identities and faith of the hijackers.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed, “Kandahar flight hijackers’ original names: Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar, Sunny Ahmed, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir. Anubhav Sinha hijacker web series ‘IC 814′ depicted them as Bhola, Shankar. This is how whitewashing is done cinematically.”
Another user said, “The hijackers of IC814 were lethal, cruel—to even attempt to show some of them as human in the Netflix series is unfair.” Such reactions reflect a broader sentiment that the series’ portrayal undermines the severity and brutality of the hijackers’ actions.
Expressing further disapproval, a third online comment read, “I noticed that too and was extremely surprised. Not a cool thing to do. I wonder how the @NetflixIndia team can be so reckless to let this happen.
.”
Indeed, the transformation of the terrorists’ identities has left many viewers bewildered and upset. According to the Ministry of External Affairs report dated January 2000, the hijackers identified themselves using pseudonyms such as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. This has led some to argue that any name changes in the series align with these aliases rather than misrepresentation.
Journalist-writer-lyricist Neelesh Misra, who penned the book ‘173 Hours in Captivity: The Hijacking of IC814,’ weighed in on the controversy. On X, he clarified, “Shankar, Bhola, Burger, Doctor, and the Chief, the brother of then-jailed Masood Azhar himself. All the hijackers assumed false names. That is how they referred to each other and how the passengers referred to them throughout the hijacking. Regards, the author of the first book on the IC-814 hijacking.”
The hostage crisis that ensued following the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 prompted a series of gripping, dramatic events, culminating only when India conceded to release the three terrorists as demanded. Amidst these seven nerve-wracking days, the atmosphere was taut with uncertainty, fear, and dire stakes—a scenario that the series aims to depict.
However, as much as the intention might have been to foster a compelling, empathetic narrative from a complex historical event, the apparent liberties taken by the series’ creators have not resonated well with many viewers. The alteration of the terrorists’ names has incited accusations that tamper with the story’s authenticity and, by some interpretation, render a diluted account of the terrorists’ actions.
The response of social media and the public at large to the series underscores the ongoing tension between creative storytelling and respectful, accurate representation of historical events, particularly those imbued with such deep tragedy and trauma. This clash has come to the forefront with ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,’ revealing the audience’s sensitivity towards depictions that might be perceived as unfair or revisionist.
In conclusion, while ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ continues to stream and attract viewers, it also stands as a focal point in the debate over historical accuracy in entertainment media. The series, directed by Anubhav Sinha, although well-crafted in many respects, raises essential questions about the balance between storytelling and fidelity to historical truths, highlighting the complexities of dramatizing real-life events.
