Netflix Updates Credits Of 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ Web Series After Row

Amid row over the portrayal of terrorists in the web series, the streaming platform Netflix has updated the opening credits of 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack'.

The Netflix has said the updated credits will now include the real names of two hijackers, whose 'Hindu' codenames had drawn criticism for the makers.

In a statement, Monika Shergill, who is Vice-President, Content, Netflix, said, "For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers. The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event (sic)."

Apart from the disclaimer, the series carries no other further edits, Shergill said.

Shergill, on behalf of Netflix, added that the platform is fully dedicated to representing the authenticity in their stories.

"India has a rich culture of storytelling, and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation," she said.

Her statement came hours after her meeting with the officials of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, in which she explained her stance on the whole issue.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, 'IC 814' is a dramatic representation of the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

Five terrorists hijacked the flight that was headed to Delhi from the Tribhhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. The crisis lasted for seven days before the then BJP-led government finally agreed to the demands and released three high-profile terrorists.

A section of the audience accused the makers of allegedly whitewashing terrorism and offending the sentiments of the Hindu community.

As per the record issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs years back, the five terrorists who hijacked the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 on December 24 were identified as Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry and Shakir. The government further identified all of them as part of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM).

Characters 'name' issue: However, in the Netflix series, the makers have highlighted the names they used to address each other in front of the passengers inside the flight. The terrorists in the show are named 'Chief', 'Doctor', 'Shankar', 'Bhola' and 'Burger'.

An official statement on the IC-814 hijacking incident, available on the Ministry of External Affairs website, dated January 6, 2000, mentions that all the terrorists addressed each other with different names.

"To the passengers of the hijacked place these hijackers came to be known respectively as (1) Chief, (2) Doctor, (3) Burger, (4) Bhola and (5) Shankar, the names by which the hijackers invariably addressed one another (sic)," it read.