Netflix’s latest web series, *IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack*, has found itself in the middle of a storm of controversy this week. The new critically-acclaimed series, directed by Anubhav Sinha, has sparked outrage on social media due to the names assigned to the four hijackers in the show. The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has taken note of the public outcry and summoned Monika Shergill, the content chief of the OTT platform. Adding to the uproar is a public interest litigation (PIL) that has been filed before the Delhi High Court by the president of the Hindu Sena. The petition contends that the series distorts the religious identities of the hijackers by naming two of the five hijackers as Bhola and Shankar and requests the revocation of the certification for the series.
The six-episode series *IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack* dramatizes the real-life hijacking of the IC-814 flight on December 24, 1999. Shortly after taking off from Kathmandu for Delhi, the Airbus 300 was diverted multiple times, first to Amritsar, then to Lahore, Dubai, and finally to Kandahar in Afghanistan, which at that time was under the control of the Taliban. After six exhaustive days of negotiations, the hijacking ended with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government agreeing to release three terrorists, Masood Azhar, Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, in exchange for the safety of the passengers and crew.
The series is partially inspired by the book *Flight To Fear*, authored by the plane’s pilot, Captain Devi Sharan, in collaboration with journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury. Although a disclaimer at the beginning of the series categorizes it as a work of fiction inspired by real-life events, it hasn’t pacified critics who argue that certain creative liberties taken by the filmmakers are problematic.
One key point of contention is the usage of codenames for the hijackers. The makers of the series did not emphasize that the terrorists used aliases during the hijacking, a piece of information that some people assume goes without saying. Contemporary journalistic accounts of the hijacking spell out that the hijackers did indeed use aliases. A press release by the Union Home Ministry on January 6, 2000, revealed the real names of the hijackers: Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir.
. The press release also confirmed the codenames used by the hijackers: Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. According to the press release, the hijackers addressed each other by their codenames, and these names became known to the passengers.
The issue seems to stem from a fear of future misinterpretations of the event. Voices of dissent argue that decades from now, people might assume Hindus were responsible for the IC-814 hijacking because of the series’ portrayal. BJP leader Amit Malviya expressed this concern on social media, stating, “The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who acquired aliases to hide their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha legitimized their criminal intent by furthering their non-Muslim names. Result? Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814.”
Despite the criticism, the series does showcase a critical moment where the hijackers’ true identities are revealed. For instance, during tense negotiations, ‘Chief’ is unmasked when talks threaten to collapse. Journalist Neelesh Misra, who also wrote a book about the hijacking, confirmed on social media that ‘Chief’ is indeed the brother of Masood Azhar. Within the narrative context of the series, Bhola and Shankar are relatively minor characters who are referred to by their codenames only once across the six episodes.
In summary, the outrage over the portrayal of the hijackers in *IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack* underscores the complexities and sensitivities involved in dramatizing historically significant events. As both governmental bodies and public interest groups weigh in, it remains to be seen how the controversy will impact the series’ future and its reception among viewers.
