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New Delhi— In a significant development, the head of content at Netflix India, Monika Shergill, has been summoned by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry amid growing controversy over the web series ‘IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack‘. This summons comes as the series has sparked intense debate over its portrayal of the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814.
The web series, directed by Anubhav Sinha and inspired by the book ‘Flight Into Fear: The Captain’s Story’ by journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury and Captain Devi Sharan, dramatizes the harrowing hijacking incident where the flight was seized by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The series stars Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, and Pankaj Kapur and covers the events leading to the release of three notorious terrorists in exchange for the hostages. (Also read : https://test.inpactimes.com/5-friends-to-lovers-shows-that-prove-that-it-is-the-best-trope/)
Controversy Over Names
The controversy centers around the depiction of the hijackers in the series. As per the series, the hijackers are named as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. Sceptics, led by BJP’s Amit Malviya, have accused the filmmakers of having deliberately changed the names of the hijackers to conceal their identities. Malviya has also suggested that the series’ portrayal could give a viewer the wrong impression that Hindus were involved in the hijacking, not Muslim terrorists who were the real culprits. He has dismissed the series as a bid to clear the terrorism crimes of Pakistani terrorists and change the narrative of their identity.
The Union Home Ministry’s statement from January 6, 2000, which details the actual names of the hijackers—Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir—has been cited by critics to argue that the series distorts historical facts. The statement also mentions that the hijackers used aliases such as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar to address each other, which appears to have been reflected in the series.
Government Response and Public Reaction
The summons to Monika Shergill indicates the government’s serious concern over the portrayal of the hijackers. Officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have requested an explanation from Netflix India regarding the series’ depiction of these individuals.
Public reaction has been polarized. Social media users have launched campaigns under hashtags like #IC814, #BoycottNetflix, and #BoycottBollywood, condemning the series for what they perceive as a deliberate distortion of historical facts. Supporters of the series, however, argue that such dramatizations are often a part of cinematic adaptations and that the focus should be on the broader narrative rather than individual names.
The Broader Debate
The situation has sparked a wider debate on the role of cinema in historical storytelling. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah highlighted the irony of those who have supported films like ‘The Kashmir Files’—which portrays a specific narrative about the Kashmir conflict—now criticizing the Netflix series for its historical accuracy.
As the series continues to face backlash, the outcome of the summons and the potential repercussions for Netflix India remain to be seen. The controversy underscores the complex intersection of media representation, historical accuracy, and political sensitivity in contemporary India.
