Netflix content head summoned by Information & Broadcasting Ministry over distortion of facts in ‘IC 814’ web series

Controversy erupts over hijackers’ names in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack

The controversy surrounding Anubhav Sinha‘s latest series, ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack‘, has intensified, leading to a significant development. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has summoned the Content Head of Netflix India to Delhi for a meeting scheduled for tomorrow, according to sources cited by news agency ANI.

The Netflix India Content Head, Monika Shergill, has been called to address concerns raised over the series’ content.

The move comes amid a growing online backlash against the streaming platform’s portrayal of the Kandahar hijacking incident. The series has sparked debate and criticism, prompting the government to take action.

The series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, which dramatizes the notorious 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has ignited fierce criticism on social media. The controversy centers around the series’ decision to alter the names of two key hijackers to Hindu names, a move seen by many as a blatant distortion of historical facts.

The show, which aims to depict the traumatic ordeal of the passengers and the government’s struggle as the flight was rerouted to various locations before ultimately being held in Taliban-controlled Kandahar, Afghanistan, has been accused of tampering with historical accuracy. Critics argue that this alteration not only misrepresents the hijacking but also manipulates sensitive content for dramatic effect.

The hijackers in the series are depicted with the codenames Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. However, the use of the names Bhola and Shankar drew criticism, with some accusing the filmmakers of deliberately choosing Hindu names, thereby misrepresenting the facts and potentially inciting religious tensions.

The row emerged because these terrorists used Hindu identities to carry out the hijacking, which the show apparently focuses more on.

The controversy ignited a heated debate online, with critics targeting the series’ director, Anubhav Sinha, for allegedly distorting facts.

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