‘IC814: Hijack of Kandahar’ row: Netflix updates opening disclaimer to include hijackers’ names and aliases
Netflix India on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) said it has updated its latest series opening disclaimer IC814: The Kandahar HijackThat has sparked controversy over the depiction of the hijackers’ code names
“For the benefit of viewers unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers,” said Monica Shergill, vice president of content, Netflix India.
Also read:Row over names of hijackers in Netflix series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ | explained
“The code names of the series reflect those used during actual events. India has a rich culture of storytelling – and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic presentation,” he said in the statement.
Ms. Shergill’s comments came after her meeting with Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju in New Delhi. The ministry summoned him after concerns were raised in some quarters over various issues, including the Hindu code names used by the hijackers and the alleged human faces given to some of them.
Directed by Anwari Sinha and featuring a stellar cast of Vijay Verma, Patralekha, Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, the series narrates the true events of the December 1999 hijack.
It is inspired by true events and an adaptation of the book ‘Flight into Fear’ written by Captain Devi Saran and Srinjoy Chaudhary.
The series has sparked controversy on social media and elsewhere with many claiming that the filmmaker changed the hijackers’ names to ‘Shankar’ and ‘Bhola’ to protect terrorists from a particular community.
Hashtags such as #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood and #IC814 have trended on social media but many survivors and journalists have come out in support of the series claiming that the hijackers used the code names shown in the show.
The ‘aliases’ used by the hijackers in this series are in the public domain, including the official statement of the Union Home Ministry issued on January 6, 2000.
