Anubhav Sinha's new web series, “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,” premiered on Netflix on August 29 and quickly became controversial. The series, based on the real-life hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999, is being criticized for using Hindu names for some hijackers, sparking backlash on social media.
The series tells the story of the hijacking of Flight IC 814, which took off from Kathmandu, Nepal, and was heading to Delhi. Five terrorists from the Pakistan-based militant group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen took control of the flight, forcing it to land in multiple locations before ending up in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which was then under Taliban control.
In “IC 814,” the hijackers are referred to by codenames: Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. The use of the names Bhola and Shankar, which are traditionally Hindu names, has led to outrage online, with critics accusing the filmmakers of altering the hijackers' identities.
However, according to an official statement by the Union Home Ministry in January 2000, the real names of the hijackers were Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir. During the actual hijacking, passengers knew the hijackers by their codenames, which were used in the series.
“IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack” revisits one of the most terrifying incidents in India’s recent history. On December 24, 1999, five armed terrorists hijacked the flight shortly after takeoff, leading to a tense standoff that gripped the nation.
Despite the criticism, the series has brought renewed attention to the events of the 1999 hijacking, but the debate over the portrayal of the hijackers remains heated.
