The controversy surrounding Anubhav Sinha’s debut OTT series, IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack, shows no signs of abating. According to ANI, the government is taking the issue ‘very seriously,’ and Netflix has assured that future content will be sensitive to national sentiments. The series has faced criticism for allegedly distorting facts about the identities of the hijackers. Government sources stated, “Netflix has promised to conduct a content review and ensure that all future content on their platform respects the nation’s sentiments.”
Previously, officials had remarked, “No one has the right to undermine the sentiments of the people of this nation. India’s culture and civilization must always be respected. Care must be taken not to portray things inaccurately. The government is taking this very seriously.”
In response, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has summoned Netflix India’s content head for an explanation regarding the series’ portrayal of the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a ban on the series, alleging that it inaccurately represents the hijackers with Hindu names such as ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar,’ which the petitioner claims offends the Hindu community.
The petition, filed by Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and president of Hindu Sena, seeks an order to cancel the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate and prohibit the series’ public screening. The petition argues that the distortion of key facts about the hijackers’ identities not only misrepresents historical events but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misinformation, necessitating judicial intervention to prevent further public confusion and potential harm.
On social media, users have adopted hashtags like #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood, and #IC814, claiming the filmmakers altered the hijackers’ names to obscure their true identities. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya criticized the series, alleging that it falsely presents the hijackers as having Hindu names and thus misrepresents the actual perpetrators, who were identified as Muslims. He asserted that this portrayal serves to obscure the identity of the real terrorists and criticized what he sees as an attempt to distort historical facts through cinema.
