Netflix’s IC 814 Series Sparks Controversy Over Portrayal of 1999 Plane Hijacking

Netflix Faces Backlash Over New Series Depicting 1999 Plane Hijacking

Netflix has recently come under scrutiny for its fictional series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, which is inspired by the infamous 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by Islamist militants. The series has ignited controversy among Indian audiences, particularly after social media users and a prominent member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused it of portraying the hijackers as Hindus. The uproar highlights ongoing tensions between creative narratives and political sensitivities in India.

Released last week, the series dramatizes the events of the hijacking, where five Islamist militants took control of an Indian Airlines flight traveling from Nepal to India. The show explores the interactions between the hijackers, the crew, and the passengers aboard the flight. However, the use of code names by the hijackers, including “Shankar”—a commonly used name for Hindu men—sparked outrage among viewers. Critics argued that this portrayal diminishes the Muslim identity of the hijackers.

Amit Malviya, a national official of the BJP, voiced his concerns on social media, asserting that the series’ representation of the hijackers’ aliases could lead to a dangerous misunderstanding. He stated, “Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814,” emphasizing the potential for historical misrepresentation.

In response to the growing backlash, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned a Netflix executive for a discussion regarding the government’s discontent over the series. Following this, Netflix issued a statement announcing that the opening disclaimer for the Indian audience has been revised. The updated disclaimer aims to clarify the historical context of the 1999 hijacking, stating, “For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer in India has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers.”

The actual hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 lasted over eight days, during which the militants coerced the pilots to fly the aircraft to multiple locations, including Dubai and Kandahar, Afghanistan, which was under Taliban control at the time. The ordeal ended with the release of the passengers after the Indian government agreed to free three Pakistanis who had been detained on terrorism charges.

Historically, the Indian government identified the five hijackers as being from Pakistan, noting that they used aliases such as “Shankar” in front of the passengers to obscure their true identities.

Prior to the series’ launch on August 29, director Anubhav Sinha expressed his intent to portray the events with accuracy, stating that his goal was to present the incident “exactly in the manner in which it happened.” The updated disclaimer now also clarifies that the series “does not make any claims of authenticity or historical correctness” regarding the depicted events, while listing the hijackers’ actual names: Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir.

This incident with Netflix is not unprecedented, as major streaming platforms have faced pressure from Hindu nationalists in the past. Earlier this year, Netflix withdrew a film after complaints from Hindu nationalists alleging that it mocked Hinduism. Similarly, the creators of a 2021 Amazon series were compelled to edit scenes after critics accused them of disrespecting Hindu deities. Such instances underscore the delicate balance between artistic expression and the cultural sensitivities prevalent in contemporary Indian society.