Netflix adds real names and code names of hijackers to series’ disclaimer as government raises concerns
NEW DELHI: Netflix India announced on Tuesday that it had examined the real and Codenames the hijacker the Indian Airlines aircraft shown in the web series “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack” after the portrayal of the “humane” treatment of the hijackers and their Hindu code names were widely criticized.
This came after Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India, met I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju. In the 40-minute meeting, Jaju told Netflix that sensitivity was required while dealing with such issues, citing the sentiments of a large section of the society.
A senior official said the government was taking the matter very seriously and expressed concern over the portrayal of terrorists from the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, which hijacked an Indian Airlines plane in 1999. “Nobody has the right to play with the sentiments of the people of this nation. Indian culture and civilisation should always be respected,” he said. Another official added, “Should we allow foreign forces to disregard our cultural values?”
The kidnappers real names were Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny, Ahmad Qazi, Zahoor Mistry and Shakir. However, the series referred to the code names used by them – Bhola, Shankar, Doctor, Burger and Chief.
Netflix said it has revised the disclaimer at the beginning of the show. “For the benefit of viewers unfamiliar with the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999, the disclaimer at the beginning has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers,” the OTT platform said. Shergill clarified that the code names used in the series are those of the actual event. She said India has a “rich culture of storytelling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic portrayal.”
According to government sources, Netflix has also committed to reviewing its content and ensuring that all content is sensitive and in tune with the sentiments of the nation.
An official said the Netflix team came to the meeting with research papers and collected reference material. The OTT platform said the series was in line with publicly available sources, citing information from books and government statements.
Directed by Anubhav Sinha and featuring an all-star cast including Vijay Varma, Patralekhaa, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swamy and Dia Mirza, the series tells the true story of the December 1999 plane hijacking.
This came after Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India, met I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju. In the 40-minute meeting, Jaju told Netflix that sensitivity was required while dealing with such issues, citing the sentiments of a large section of the society.
A senior official said the government was taking the matter very seriously and expressed concern over the portrayal of terrorists from the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, which hijacked an Indian Airlines plane in 1999. “Nobody has the right to play with the sentiments of the people of this nation. Indian culture and civilisation should always be respected,” he said. Another official added, “Should we allow foreign forces to disregard our cultural values?”
The kidnappers real names were Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny, Ahmad Qazi, Zahoor Mistry and Shakir. However, the series referred to the code names used by them – Bhola, Shankar, Doctor, Burger and Chief.
Netflix said it has revised the disclaimer at the beginning of the show. “For the benefit of viewers unfamiliar with the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999, the disclaimer at the beginning has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers,” the OTT platform said. Shergill clarified that the code names used in the series are those of the actual event. She said India has a “rich culture of storytelling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic portrayal.”
According to government sources, Netflix has also committed to reviewing its content and ensuring that all content is sensitive and in tune with the sentiments of the nation.
An official said the Netflix team came to the meeting with research papers and collected reference material. The OTT platform said the series was in line with publicly available sources, citing information from books and government statements.
Directed by Anubhav Sinha and featuring an all-star cast including Vijay Varma, Patralekhaa, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swamy and Dia Mirza, the series tells the true story of the December 1999 plane hijacking.
