‘IC814: The Kandahar Hijack’ row: Netflix promises to conduct a content review | Details here

On September 3, Monika Shergill, Netflix India’s content chief, met with officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting following a government summons regarding the controversy over the depiction of hijackers in ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’.

The Ministry reportedly asked Shergill to address the contentious aspects of the web series.

According to government sources, Netflix has promised to review the content and ensure that all future material on their platform aligns with national sentiments.

Meanwhile, a PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court on September 2, seeking a ban on ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’. The petition claims the series distorts facts by portraying the hijackers with Hindu names such as ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar,’ which are linked to Lord Shiva and may offend Hindu sentiments.

Surjit Singh Yadav, a farmer and president of Hindu Sena, has requested the court to direct the Centre and Maharashtra government to revoke the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate and prohibit the series.

‘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. Top of Form

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the series was released on Netflix India on August 29. ‘IC 814’, which dramatizes the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has stirred controversy on social media due to the use of Hindu code names for two of the hijackers in the series.

Official sources stated that the government is concerned about the series' impact on national sentiments.

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