The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has called in Netflix's content head Monika Shergill following backlash against the streaming platform's latest series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. This series, directed by Anubhav Sinha, dramatizes the 1999 hijacking of the Indian flight IC 814 by five terrorists.
In the series, the hijackers are identified by codenames such as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. While these names align with the narrative of the book Flight into Fear: The Captain’s Story by Srinjoy Chowdhury and Devi Sharan, the captain of the flight, critics argue that these codenames are insensitive and misrepresent the historical event.
Netflix Content Head has been summoned tomorrow by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting over the 'IC814' web series content row: Sources
— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2024
Social media has erupted with calls to boycott both the series and Netflix. Despite casting director Mukesh Chhabra's clarification that these are merely codenames, the controversy has intensified, with BJP’s Amit Malviya criticizing the decision not to use the hijackers' real names.
The government’s action in summoning Shergill is seen as a victory by some supporters of the boycott, while others are debating the implications for creative freedom in India.
The outcome of the meeting with Netflix on Wednesday will determine whether there will be any official reprimands, a ban, or if the matter will be resolved in another manner. The series features Vijay Varma, Pankaj Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Naseeruddin Shah, and Arvind Swamy in significant roles.
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