Netflix content head summoned by I&B Ministry amid IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack controversy

Netflix's latest series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has hit turbulence. The Anubhav Sinha-directed web series is based on the 1999 hijack of an Indian Airlines aircraft by five terrorists. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reportedly summoned the Netflix content head Monika Shergill after several users on social media accused the makers of deliberately changing the names of the hijackers to “Bhola” and “Shankar”.

In the web series, the five hijackers of the Delhi-bound flight from Kathmandu are referred to as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola and Shankar. The series is based on, Flight into Fear: The Captain’s Story written by Srinjoy Chowdhury and Devi Sharan, the captain of the flight. Makers have reportedly used the names that the actual hijackers had used as code names during the hijack. 

However, sections of the media found the naming of the hijackers to be insensitive and a misrepresentation of the truth.

The series, which released on August 29 on the streaming platform Netflix, features a bevvy of Bollywood stars including veterans Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Manoj Pahwa, along with Kumud Mishra, Vijay Varma, Patralekha, Arvind Swami, Dia Mirza and Aditi Gupta. 

'Boycott IC 814 The Kandhar Hijack' trends on X as netizens lash out at Anubhav Sinha for THIS reason

Social media has been abuzz with calls for the boycott of the streamer and the show due to the names of the two hijackers. Interestingly, when the controversy erupted, the show's casting director Mukesh Chhabra clarified that they were just codenames. 

But the voices for a boycott have grown since the release of the show.

While the government’s move of questioning Netflix is being lauded by supporters of the boycott movement, many are questioning the choice of creative freedom in India.