IC 814 row: Netflix agrees to update opening disclaimer after meeting with I&B Ministry

Netflix has issued an official statement following controversy over its latest web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The OTT platform has updated the opening disclaimer of the series and added the actual names as well as code names of the hijackers. 

The move comes after concerns were raised by a certain section of social media over the names of two hijackers in the series—Bhola and Shankar. Both are Hindu names used for two Muslim terrorists. Critics claimed that it was an attempt to obscure the real identities of the terrorists involved in the 1999 incident. 

On Tuesday, Monika Shergil, the vice president of content at Netflix issued a statement on the controversy. In her statement, Shergill said, "For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers. The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event. India has a rich culture of story-telling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation."

The statement came after Shergill met with the Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju in New Delhi on Tuesday. Shergill was summoned to the ministry to address concerns. Netflix guarantees all content to be sensitive to national sentiments amid IC 814 row

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack, is based on real events and adapts from the book Flight Into Fear, written by Captain Devi Sharan (captain of the hijacked flight) and Srinjoy Chowdhury. The web series features a bevy of actors, including Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Patralekha, Arvind Swamy, Aditi Gupta, Dia Mirza, Manoj Pahwa, and others.
 
Despite the controversy around the series, Netflix has stood by it and asserted that the story has been told with authenticity. It has updated the disclaimer to ensure transparency with the audience.