Mumbai: IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, starring Vijay Varma and Dia Mirza, has sparked a major controversy over the 'Hindu' codenames of the hijackers. The series, which is based on the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814, uses Bhola' and 'Shankar' in the show. Several users claimed that it misrepresented the terrorists' real identities.
On Tuesday, September 3, the makers of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack held a press conference in Mumbai with the cast, including director Anubhav Sinha. When a journalist raised questions about the ongoing controversy over not portraying ISI's role in the right manner in the series, Sinha initially refused to answer. However, he later got into a heated exchange, angrily asking the journalist whether the accusation was his and later questioned him in return, "Aapne series dekha hai? Series dekhiye. Main Baat nahi kar sakta aapse, aapne series nahi dekhi. (Have you seen the movie? Watch the series.. I can't speak to you, you have not watched the series only.)
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Opening disclaimer to feature hijackers names
On Tuesday, Netflix issued a statement stating that they will add the real names of the hijackers in the disclaimer amid massive backlash. Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju summoned the Netflix India's contend head, Monika Shergill on Tuesday to convey the government's strong disapproval of the depiction of certain elements in the web series.
After the meeting, Netflix Content Head Monica Shergill issued an official statement which read, "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."
What are the real names of the IC-814 hijackers?
The real names of the hijackers were Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny, Ahmad Qazi, Zahoor Mistry and Shakir. However, the series referred to the code names used by terrorists -- Bhola, Shankar, Doctor, Burger and Chief.
The series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack boasts a star-studded cast, including Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, and Patralekhaa, among others.
The series is based on the December 24, 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines IC-814 aircraft by five terrorists en route to Delhi from Kathmandu. The aircraft was hijacked after takeoff from the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal after it entered Indian airspace.
