The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has called Monika Shergill, Netflix India’s content head, to Delhi. This follows widespread criticism of the limited series “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.”
Shergill is set to meet with ministry officials on Tuesday, September 3, to discuss the series’ contentious portrayal.
The series, which dramatizes the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 by Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has drawn ire for using Hindu codenames for the hijackers.
Adapted from Srinjoy Chowdhury and Devi Sharan’s book “Flight into Fear: The Captain’s Story,” the series names the hijackers as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar.
The names Bhola and Shankar have triggered criticism, with some arguing that the series misrepresents the hijackers’ identities, who were Muslim terrorists.
Critics, including those targeting director Anubhav Sinha, claim the series offers a misleading and inappropriate portrayal.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated, “The sentiments of the nation should not be disrespected. India’s culture and history must be portrayed accurately. The government views this matter seriously.”
The series follows the traumatic experience of passengers and crew as the flight was rerouted several times before landing in Taliban-controlled Kandahar, Afghanistan.
The government’s intervention highlights its concern over how sensitive historical events are depicted and their effect on national sentiment.
The cast features Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, and Manoj Pahwa. Created by Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Shrivastava, the six-episode series recounts the December 24, 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Delhi.
