Netflix’s “IC814: The Kandahar Hijack” Faces Government Scrutiny Over Hindu Terrorist Names

“IC814” shows the horrible experience of passengers on Indian Airlines Flight 814, which was hijacked on December 24, 1999, shortly after taking off from Kathmandu by five armed terrorists. The flight was diverted to several locations before ultimately landing in Taliban-controlled Kandahar, Afghanistan. The cast includes Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, and Manoj Pahwa, among others.

BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized Sinha, accusing him of “legitimizing” the terrorists’ actions by assigning them non-Muslim names. He expressed concern that, decades later, people might mistakenly believe that Hindus were responsible for the hijacking. Malviya alleged that the leftist agenda aims to downplay the role of Pakistani terrorists while distorting historical truths through cinema.

Kangana Ranaut, a BJP MP, also weighed in, lamenting the lack of accountability in the industry. She pointed out that OTT platforms often allow extreme violence and nudity without censorship but seem to restrict narratives that promote national integrity. Ranaut argued that such censorship is selectively applied, discouraging filmmakers who wish to highlight historical facts in line with national unity.

The series is based on “Flight Into Fear: The Captain’s Story,” authored by journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury and the flight’s captain, Devi Sharan. The hijacking incident involved five armed terrorists from the Pakistan-based militant group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, who forced the plane to divert to Amritsar, Lahore, and Dubai, where some passengers were released.

As the government probes the series for its potentially contentious content, the debate over artistic freedom versus responsible storytelling continues.

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