IC 814 Series Row: I&B Ministry Likely To Summon Director Anubhav Sinha After Warning Netflix

Following stern remarks to Netflix India regarding the controversy over IC-814, the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) is reportedly planning to summon Anubhav Sinha, the director of the series, the Indian Express has reported.

On Monday, the I&B Ministry called in Netflix representatives after the series IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack stirred controversy for using “Hindu names” as aliases by the Pakistani terrorists involved in the 1999 hijacking.

The series, which began streaming on August 29, portrays the five hijackers of the Indian Airlines flight using code names such as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. A Home Ministry statement from January 6, 2000, available on the Ministry of External Affairs website, confirms that these were indeed the code names used by the hijackers from the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terror group. However, objections have been raised, particularly by BJP leaders, regarding the use of the aliases Shankar and Bhola.

According to the Indian Express report, sources in the I&B Ministry said that Netflix was reminded to be mindful of public religious sentiments and sensitivities.

Critics argue that the ISI handlers of the terrorists used Hindu aliases to craft a misleading narrative of 'Hindu terror.' The director could have chosen a different set of names that represented the situation more accurately, rather than unwittingly reinforcing the message the ISI wanted to send by using Hindu names.

Even though 'creative license' was employed in other parts of the series to enhance the storyline and add more thrill, Sinha chose to retain these names. Critics—including many filmmakers—contend that the inclusion of these specific names was unnecessary.