All you need to know about Netflix's IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack and the controversy surrounding it - A timeline

The backlash prompted the Indian government to summon Netflix India's content head to address these concerns.

Netflix's latest web series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, has landed straight in the middle of a controversy. Based on the harrowing 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight, the show is under fire for allegedly distorting facts, 'whitewashing' terrorism and offending public sentiment. The backlash prompted the Indian government to summon Netflix India's content head to address these concerns.

The real incident of the IC 814 hijack

On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 was hijacked shortly after taking off from Kathmandu, Nepal, bound for Delhi. The flight, carrying 154 passengers and crew, was commandeered by five terrorists 40 minutes into the journey. The hijackers, later identified as members of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), diverted the plane to Kandahar, Afghanistan, which was then under the control of Taliban.

The hijacking led to an eight-day standoff, during which the terrorists demanded the release of three high-profile militants: Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar. The Indian government released the militants after long discussions.

Streaming of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack premiered on Netflix on August 29. The series is a dramatised account of the hijacking, featuring prominent actors like Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, and Pankaj Kapur. Despite its star-studded cast and compelling narrative, the series landed in this controversy.

Critics argue that the show distorts the facts of the hijacking. In the series, the hijackers are referred to as Shankar and Bhola, which some viewers believe conceals their real identities and affiliations with Islamic extremist groups.

Public reactions

Following its release, social media erupted with criticism against the series. Hashtags like #BoycottNetflix and #BoycottBollywood trended on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter). Social media users accused the filmmakers of rewriting history and downplaying the terror inflicted by the hijackers. Some even labeled the series a "vile attempt" to distort the narrative and diminish the impact of the real-life terrorists.

Indian government summons Netflix

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned Monika Shergill, the content head of Netflix India, to address the issue. The Indian government is taking these accusations seriously, given the sensitive nature of the hijacking incident and its lasting impact on national memory.

PIL filed against the series

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking a ban on IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack over allegations of distortion of facts about the real identities of the hijackers.

Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and president of Hindu Sena, filed the petition and sought a direction to the Centre and Maharashtra government to cancel the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate and ban the public viewing of the series.

Also Read: IC 814's Patralekhaa on how she bagged the Anubhav Sinha directed series: 'It took me 6 months to convince him' - EXCLUSIVE

"The distortion of crucial facts about the real identities of the hijackers not only misrepresents historical events but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misinformation, warranting interference of this court to prevent further public misunderstanding and potential harm," the petition reads.

Netflix guarantees content review of future products

According to India Today, Netflix has assured the government that its future content will be sensitive to the nation's sentiments. "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 as well as children's sensitivity," the report quoted government sources.

Also Read: IC 814's Captain Devi Sharan reveals there are two mistakes in the series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Attack'

Government's statement

After the hijacking incident, the then Union Home Minister had issued a statement revealing crucial details about the incident and the involvement of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The statement disclosed the arrest of four ISI operatives who supported the hijackers. It also clarified that the hijackers used nicknames like Bhola, Shankar, Doctor, and Burger to address each other inside the plane.

"To the passengers of the hijacked place these hijackers came to be known respectively as (1) Chief, (2) Doctor, (3) Burger, (4) Bhola and (5) Shankar, the names by which the hijackers invariably addressed one another," the statement from the government read.

Despite the controversy, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has become one of Netflix's most-watched series since its release.