Netflix updates 'IC 814' credits amid controversy over hijackers portrayal

Netflix has revised the opening credits of 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack' following controversy regarding its depiction of terrorists. The updated credits now feature the actual names of all hijackers, including two terrorists whose 'Hindu' codenames had sparked significant backlash.

In a statement released on Sep 3, Monika Shergill, 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)."

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

The statement followed a meeting with officials from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, where she outlined her position on the matter.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the web series 'IC 814' dramatizes the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814. Some viewers criticized the series for allegedly 'whitewashing terrorism' by not using the real names of the terrorists.

Instead, the show used codenames like 'Chief,' 'Doctor,' 'Shankar,' 'Bhola,' and 'Burger' for the hijackers.

According to government records, the actual names of the terrorists were Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir.

These individuals were associated with the Pakistan-based terrorist group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM).

On social media, calls to #BoycottNetflix emerged with accusations that 'IC 814' misrepresents the hijackers as Hindus, thus disparaging the Hindu community.

In response, Monica Shergill, Netflix’s content head, met with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sep 3.

She committed to reviewing the content and ensuring that future Netflix programming respects national sentiments.

During the meeting, government officials questioned why the series did not include captions with the hijackers' real names and why the portrayal of the hijackers seemed more favorable compared to the negotiators, who appeared weaker and more confused.