Netflix India has assured the Centre that future content on its platform will be more considerate of the nation’s sentiments, following the controversy surrounding its web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The series, which revisits the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has sparked widespread backlash for its portrayal of the hijackers.
Directed by Anubhav Sinha and released on August 29, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has come under fire for allegedly distorting historical facts, particularly by changing the names of the terrorists to “Bhola” and “Shankar,” names traditionally associated with Lord Shiva. Critics argue that this alteration misrepresents the real identities of the hijackers, thereby offending Hindu sentiments.
The controversy led to an hour-long meeting between representatives from Netflix and officials from the Centre, during which the streaming giant agreed to be more mindful of the content it airs in the future.
The series has ignited a fierce debate on social media, with hashtags like #BoycottNetflix and #BoycottBollywood trending as users accused the filmmakers of rewriting history and downplaying the atrocities committed by the real hijackers. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya criticized the filmmakers for allegedly whitewashing the crimes of Pakistani terrorists by assigning them Hindu names, claiming it could mislead future generations.
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On the other side, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called out the selective outrage, questioning the consistency in demands for historical accuracy in cinema.
Adding to the controversy, a Union Home Ministry document released shortly after the 1999 hijacking has clarified the use of nicknames like “Bhola” and “Shankar” by the hijackers themselves.
The document states that the hijackers—Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Shakir aka Rajesh Gopal Verma, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, and Ibrahim Athar—used these nicknames to address each other during the hijacking.
In a related development, actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming film Emergency, which depicts the 21-month period of emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977, has also faced scrutiny. The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), a prominent Sikh religious body, has raised objections to the film, leading to a delay in its release as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) considers the concerns.
Kangana Ranaut expressed her frustration over the situation, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that it is “hugely demotivating and unjust” that censorship seems to target only filmmakers like her who create works based on historical facts. She also criticized the lack of consequences for the portrayal of violence and nudity on OTT platforms, as well as the distortion of real-life events for what she described as “politically motivated sinister motives.”
The ongoing debates over both IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack and Emergency highlight the complex balance between creative expression and cultural sensitivities in Indian cinema and streaming content.
