- By Ridhi Suri
- Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:57 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
IC814: The Kandahar Hijack: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was submitted to the Delhi High Court requesting a ban on the OTT series IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack. The petition claims that the series inaccurately represents the hijackers with Hindu names such as ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar’, which are also associated with Lord Shiva. The plea argues that this misrepresentation has offended the Hindu community by distorting the facts about the hijackers' real identities.
Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and president of Hindu Sena, filed the petition requesting that the Centre and Maharashtra government take action to revoke the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate for the series and prohibit its public screening. "The distortion of crucial facts about the real identities of the hijackers not only misrepresents historical events but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misinformation, warranting interference of this court to prevent further public misunderstanding and potential harm," the petition says.
In response to the controversy surrounding the depiction of hijackers in the series IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack, the central government has called in Netflix India's content head for an explanation. Official sources revealed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has scheduled a meeting with the content head on Tuesday to address concerns about the series' portrayal of the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The series, directed by Anubhav Sinha, premiered on Netflix on August 29.
About IC814: The Kandahar Hijack
Netflix's new web series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, has ignited controversy due to allegations of factual distortion, whitewashing terrorism, and offending public sentiment. Released on August 29, the series features a prominent cast, including Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, and Pankaj Kapur. The uproar began shortly after its release, with social media users accusing the filmmakers of misrepresenting the hijacking details.
On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight IC 814, carrying 154 passengers and crew, was hijacked shortly after departing from Kathmandu, Nepal, en route to Delhi. The hijackers, associated with the Pakistan-based terrorist group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), diverted the plane to Kandahar, Afghanistan, then under Taliban control. The standoff lasted eight days, during which the terrorists demanded the release of three high-profile militants: Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.
Facing intense pressure to ensure the safety of the hostages, the Indian government ultimately agreed to the terrorists' demands.
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