IC814: The Kandahar Hijack Web Series Sparks Controversy : Netflix Summoned by Government

Netflix Content Head has been summoned by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting following backlash against the web series *IC814: The Kandahar Hijack* for depicting terrorists with Hindu names, according to ANI. Directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Vijay Varma, the series portrays the harrowing journey of passengers on the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC814, which was rerouted to Taliban-controlled Kandahar in 1999.

The controversy centers on the use of Hindu names, ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar,’ for two terrorists, drawing criticism from the BJP-led government. BJP’s Amit Malviya accused Sinha of “legitimising” the terrorists’ actions by giving them non-Muslim names, warning that such portrayals could mislead future generations into believing Hindus were responsible for the hijack. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also condemned the portrayal, claiming it furthers a “leftist agenda” and lamenting the perceived bias in censorship on OTT platforms.