Survivors of the IC 814 hijacking say the Netflix series accurately depicts the truth but omits some internal events, focusing instead on the political aspects. The series, starring Vijay Verma, has stirred controversy over the hijackers' names and has been heavily criticized for its portrayal of the event.
Rakesh Kataria, one of the survivors, chose not to watch the show, stating, "I did not want to relive the ordeal again." He acknowledged the controversies but affirmed, "What Netflix has shown is the truth," emphasizing that while the hijackers used aliases like "Bhola" and "Shankar," these names were not invented by Netflix.
The couple while talking to leading portal IndiaToday, Pooja Kataria, Rakesh's wife, corroborated his comments, stating, "Bhola and Shankar were the names used for the two hijackers. This is not fiction but the complete truth." She noted that the series reflects their real experiences, although it does not thoroughly depict the internal dynamics and focuses more on the negotiations between the hijackers and the Indian government.
Pooja recalled there were 26 couples returning from their honeymoon in Nepal, including Rachna and Rupin Katyal, the latter tragically killed during the hijacking. She explained that the scene where hijackers ordered passengers to keep their heads down accurately mirrored their experience. Initially, the term "hijack" was not well understood, and they naively believed the ordeal would end quickly—as the hijackers assumed it would last only two days.
She recounted that one hijacker, known as Doctor, tried to persuade passengers to convert to Islam, claiming it was superior to Hinduism, delivering multiple speeches on the subject. Eventually, the hijackers threatened to start killing passengers if the Indian government did not meet their demands.
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During the interview, Pooja showcased items she kept from the flight, including a shawl signed by "Burger" and other memorabilia such as the tickets, boarding passes, and a can of Pakistani Pepsi.
The Netflix series, "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack," created by Anubhav Sinha, dramatizes the hijacking that occurred shortly after takeoff from Kathmandu on December 24, 1999. After being refueled in Amritsar and redirected to Dubai, the aircraft ultimately landed in Kandahar, where negotiations with the hijackers transpired over seven days. The Indian government eventually released several high-profile terrorists in exchange for the passengers' release.
The series has faced backlash for naming the Muslim hijackers with Hindu codenames. Official records identified the hijackers as Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir, yet the show used the names "Chief," "Doctor," "Shankar," "Bhola," and "Burger." Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned Netflix India's content chief, Monika Shergill, to address these contentious aspects.