“Why So Serious?”, This Bollywood Actor Defends IC814: The Kandahar Hijack’s Maker’s Decision To Distort The Facts

Anubhav Sinha’s latest web series, IC814: The Kandahar Hijack, which premiered on Netflix on August 29th, has ignited a nationwide controversy. The series, based on the real-life 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC814, has come under fire for its portrayal of terrorists using Hindu identities, a creative decision that has sparked significant outrage across India.

The controversy intensified when viewers and social media users pointed out that the hijackers in the series were named ‘Shankar’ and ‘Bhola’, instead of their real names—Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, and Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim. This has led to allegations that the series is attempting to shield the real-life terrorists by altering their identities. The hashtags #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood, and #IC814 quickly gained traction on X (formerly known as Twitter), with users demanding accountability from the makers.

The situation has escalated to the point where Netflix India’s content head has been summoned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) to address the issue.

In an exclusive interview with NewsX, actor Manvi Taneja, who plays a significant role in the series, defended the creative choices made by the filmmakers. Taneja highlighted the series’ disclaimer, which states that it is a work of fiction “inspired” by real events, not a documentary or a factual retelling.

“They cannot show the real terrorists; everything needs to be shown as pseudo,” Taneja remarked, emphasizing the creative liberty filmmakers possess when adapting true events for fictional narratives. She further argued that the uproar was unnecessary, adding, “Movies are only made for entertainment, and one should watch with only a light mood.”

Despite Taneja’s defense, the controversy surrounding IC814: The Kandahar Hijack shows no signs of abating, as debates over the portrayal of sensitive historical events in popular media continue to rage.