Netflix India has promised the government that future content will align with the “nation’s sentiments,” according to sources. This assurance follows controversy surrounding its web series ‘IC 814 Kandahar Hijack.’
The series, which revisits the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has faced significant backlash. This led to a meeting between the streaming service and government officials.
Netflix Series ‘IC814’ row | Netflix has provided an assurance to conduct a content review and guarantee that all future content on their platform will be sensitive to and in accordance with the nation’s sentiments: Government Sources
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2024
Directed by Anubhav Sinha and released on August 29, the series depicts the hijackers in a way that has sparked controversy. Specifically, the characters’ names were altered to “Bhola” and “Shankar,” which are traditionally associated with Lord Shiva. Critics argue that this alteration distorts historical facts and misrepresents the terrorists’ real identities, causing offense to Hindu sentiments.
The release of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ has also sparked a heated debate on social media. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya has accused the filmmakers of trying to sanitize the actions of Pakistani terrorists by giving them Hindu names, misleading future generations. Conversely, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi have criticized the outrage as selective, pointing out inconsistencies in demands for historical accuracy in films.
On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), hashtags such as #BoycottNetflix and #BoycottBollywood have trended, with users accusing the filmmakers of distorting history and minimizing the terror inflicted by the hijackers.
