‘IC814’ facts distortion row: Netflix assures content review in accordance with national sentiments for future productions

‘IC 814’ row: Netflix content head meets I&B, ensures ‘future content following nation’s sentiments’

The controversy surrounding Anubhav Sinha‘s debut OTT series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, shows no signs of subsiding. The series has come under intense scrutiny following allegations of factual distortion regarding the identities of the hijackers depicted in the show.

Monika Shergill, the content chief of OTT platform Netflix India, is meeting the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting today and has assured the Centre that “all future content on their platform will be sensitive to and in accordance with the nation’s sentiments.”

According to ANI, the Indian government is addressing the matter with utmost seriousness. In response to the backlash, Netflix has assured that it will review its content and ensure that future programming aligns with national sentiments.

What did the government say?

Government sources emphasized, “Netflix has provided an assurance to conduct a content review and guarantee that all future content on their platform will be sensitive to and in accordance with the nation’s sentiments.”

They further stated, “Nobody has the right to play with the sentiments of the people of this nation. India’s culture and civilization should always be respected. You should think before portraying something in a wrong manner. The government is taking it very seriously.”

The Central government has summoned Netflix’s content head to discuss the series, which has sparked controversy over its portrayal of the hijackers. Critics argue that the series inaccurately represents the hijackers with Hindu names such as ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar,’ which they claim could offend Hindu sensibilities.

The IC 814 controversy:

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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