Hundreds of social media users had accused Netflix India, creators of the web series, of deliberately changing names of the hijackers to “Bhola” and “Shankar”.
“Netflix’s ‘IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack’: New Poster Revealed”
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Netflix Updates ‘IC-814 Kandahar Hijack’ Disclaimer
New Disclaimer Added
Netflix India has updated the opening disclaimer for the web series “IC-814 Kandahar Hijack”. The revision now includes the real and code names of the hijackers. Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content at Netflix India, confirmed the change. She emphasized that the update aims to provide context for viewers unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking incident.
Commitment to Authenticity
Shergill assured that Netflix remains committed to authentic representation in its content. The change to the disclaimer addresses concerns over historical accuracy and the portrayal of the hijacking event.
Background of the Controversy
The series depicts the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 by the terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The plane was diverted to Afghanistan, then under Taliban control. In exchange for the hostages, India released three terrorists: Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Mushtaq Zargar.
Criticism of Name Changes
A controversy arose when critics accused the series creators, Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Srivastava, of altering hijacker names to ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar’. Critics claimed this was a distortion of historical facts and offensive to Hindu sentiments.
Clarification on Code Names
The Union Home Ministry had revealed the real names of the five hijackers in January 2000. During the hijacking, they used code names like ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar’. Other names included ‘chief’, ‘doctor’, and ‘burger’.
Support from Journalists
Journalists who covered the hijacking live supported the use of these code names. They confirmed that passengers reported the hijackers used these names to address one another during the ordeal.