Vijay Verma Naseeruddin Shah starrer web series IC814 which is currently streaming on Netflix has embroiled themself in controversy. On September 1, PTI reported that netizens alleged the series was "hiding the real identities of the terrorists involved in the 1999 incident." In response to which Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sent summon of Netflix India's content head. Now as per the reports Netflix's content head will be meeting Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting today. The meeting will be held at the Shastri Bhawan.
The recent escalation follows accusations from users on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, who claimed that a series misrepresents facts. Specifically, on September 1, PTI highlighted concerns that the series obscures the true identities of the terrorists involved in a 1999 incident. The show, which began streaming on Netflix on August 29, portrays the events of December 24, 1999, when five terrorists hijacked an Indian Airlines aircraft 40 minutes after it took off from Kathmandu. However, the series has faced backlash online, with users on X using hashtags like #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood, and #IC814. They claimed the makers had changed the names of the hijackers to "Shankar" and "Bhola" in an alleged attempt to protect the identities of the terrorists, who belonged to a certain community.
Also Read: IB Ministry Summons Netflix India Content Head Amid 'IC 814' Kandahar Hijack Show Backlash
The real-life Kandahar Hijack involved five terrorists—Ibrahim Athar, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhter, and Sayed Shakir—who hijacked Flight IC-814 during its journey from Kathmandu to Delhi. The 154 passengers and crew were held hostage for eight days. The stand-off concluded when terrorists Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar were released in exchange for the hostages. Then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh personally escorted the released terrorists to Kandahar.