On Monday(2nd September), A PIL filed in the Delhi High Court seeks to ban the OTT series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack for allegedly distorting facts about the hijackers’ identities. The plea claims the series inaccurately depicts the hijackers with Hindu names, offending the Hindu community.
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NEW DELHI: A controversy has erupted over the recently released OTT mini-series IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack, directed by Anubhav Sinha and available on Netflix. The series, which dramatizes the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by Pakistan-based terror outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has drawn criticism for allegedly distorting historical facts, particularly the real identities of the hijackers.
PIL Filed Over Alleged Distortions
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court on Monday(2nd September), by Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and president of the Hindu Sena, seeking a ban on the mini-series. The petition alleges that the series falsely portrays the hijackers with Hindu names, including “Bhola” and “Shankar,” which are sacred to the Hindu community as they are names associated with Lord Shiva.
The plea argues that such misrepresentation-
“not only distorts historical events but also spreads harmful stereotypes and misinformation, necessitating court intervention to prevent further public confusion and potential harm.”
The petition seeks a directive from the court to the Central and Maharashtra governments to cancel the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate granted to the series and to prohibit its public viewing. The petition emphasizes the potential harm that could arise from the distortion of such crucial facts, arguing that it could lead to a significant public misunderstanding of the events surrounding the IC-814 hijacking.
Government’s Response and Summoning of Netflix India Content Head
The controversy surrounding the series has also caught the attention of the central government. In response to the growing concerns, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has summoned the Content Head of Netflix India for a meeting. The government is seeking an explanation regarding the contentious aspects of the series, particularly the portrayal of the hijackers, which has been a focal point of the dispute. The meeting is scheduled for September 3, where the government is expected to address the issues raised by the petitioners and the public.
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Criticism from Political Leaders
The series has faced backlash not only from the public but also from political leaders. BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed his concerns, stating-
“I clearly recall the IC-814 hijacking and was deeply engaged in following the incident. Everyone in India and South Asia knows that the hijacking of IC-814 from Kathmandu was carried out by terrorists backed by Pakistan’s ISI. No one believes that Indians were behind the hijacking, so it’s puzzling why the movie features hijackers with Hindu names. I’m pleased that the I&B Ministry and the Government of India have acknowledged this issue and have summoned Netflix.”
Adding to the criticism, BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to social media to voice his disapproval, saying-
“The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who used aliases to conceal their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has perpetuated this misrepresentation by assigning them non-Muslim names, potentially leading to the misconception that Hindus were behind the hijacking decades later.”
He further added-
“This not only undermines India’s security apparatus in the long run but also shifts the blame away from the religious group responsible for the bloodshed.”
Director and Cast Defend the Series
In response to the mounting criticism, the series’ casting director Mukesh Chabra defended the portrayal of the hijackers, stating that –
“they did proper research.”
He explained-
“I’m seeing many tweets about the hijackers’ names. We conducted thorough research; they used those names—whether nicknames or aliases. Thank you all for appreciating the ensemble cast. A big thank you to my team and especially to Anubhav Sinha for trusting us and allowing me the freedom to explore.”
The series, which was released on Netflix on August 29, is an adaptation of the book Flight into Fear: The Captain’s Story, co-written by journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury and Captain Devi Sharan, the pilot of the hijacked flight. The show features a star-studded cast, including Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Manoj Pahwa, Arvind Swami, Anupam Tripathi, Dia Mirza, Patralekhaa, Amrita Puri, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, and Kumud Mishra in key roles.
