Netflix in the Crosshairs: Centre Probes ‘Kandahar’ Series for Hindutva Hijack.

Streaming Storm: Centre Takes on Netflix Over ‘IC 814 Kandahar’ Series for Hindutva Hijack Claims.

Numerous social media users are advocating for a boycott of the series, citing its depiction of hijackers with Hindu names, despite the real-life perpetrators being Muslims. Additionally, certain media outlets have reported that the show has allegedly reversed the religious affiliations of the hijackers, sparking further controversy.

Amrita Sachdeva| HENB | Haridwar | Sept 4, 2024:: The Indian government has summoned Netflix’s content chief, just a day after the BJP’s IT cell head tweeted his objections to a show on the platform, which has sparked outrage among the Right-wing community.

A source from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has confirmed that Monika Shergill, Netflix India’s content head, is scheduled to meet with officials on Tuesday to address concerns regarding the web series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’, directed by Anubhav Sinha.

The web series is a dramatized retelling of the 1999 Indian Airlines hijacking, in which a Kathmandu-Delhi flight was diverted to Kandahar. The incident led to a contentious decision by the then-Atal Bihari Vajpayee government to release three terrorists, including Masood Azhar, in exchange for the safe release of the hostages.

Social media users are advocating for a boycott of the series due to its depiction of hijackers with Hindu names, despite the real-life perpetrators being Muslim. Additionally, some media outlets have alleged that the show has inaccurately portrayed the hijackers’ religious affiliations, sparking further debate.

Creators of the series have clarified that the Hindu names used by the hijackers in the show are actually the pseudonyms used by the real-life hijackers, and not a misrepresentation of their identities. Additionally, the series explicitly portrays the hijackers as Muslim in other scenes, addressing concerns of inaccurate representation.

BJP’s national IT department head and Bengal co-in-charge, Amit Malviya, took to Twitter on Sunday night to express his concerns, sparking a heated debate. In his Tweet Malviya wrote:

“The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who acquired aliases to hide their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, legitimised their criminal intent, by furthering their non-Muslim names.

“Result?

“Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814.

“Left’s agenda to whitewash the crimes of Pakistani terrorists, all Muslims, served. This is the power of cinema, which the Communists have been using aggressively, since the 70s. Perhaps even earlier.

“This will not just weaken/put in question India’s security apparatus in the long run, but also shift the blame away from the religious cohort, that is responsible for all the bloodshed.”

Contradicting Malviya’s assertion, the show reportedly features a significant dialogue that challenges the hijackers’ Islamic beliefs. Furthermore, the series portrays the internal divisions within the Taliban’s power structure in Afghanistan, revealing that one faction is secretly collaborating with the hijackers.

According to a statement made by then-Union Home Minister L.K. Advani on January 6, 2000, available on the External Affairs Ministry’s website, the hijackers used only their aliases during the flight, and were referred to by those names by the passengers. This corroborates the show’s portrayal of the hijackers using Hindu pseudonyms.

While the series takes creative liberties with the names of Indian ministers and officials, portraying them with fictionalized identities, the controversy surrounds the use of Hindu pseudonyms for the hijackers, which is actually based on real-life events.

In the series, veteran actor Pankaj Kapur plays a character bearing a striking resemblance to late Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, depicting him as a proactive cabinet member hindered by government indecision. Meanwhile, Manoj Pahwa’s character, eerily similar to current National Security Adviser Ajit Doval – who led the negotiations with the hijackers in real life – is portrayed as a comedic figure with a trigger-happy attitude. Despite requests for comment, Director Anubhav Sinha and Netflix’s Monika Shergill remained unavailable.

Currently, OTT platforms in India are exempt from obtaining certification from the country’s censor board. However, the Narendra Modi government has been pushing to bring these platforms under a more rigorous regulatory framework, sparking debates on censorship and creative freedom.

Leaders from the BJP and the broader Hindutva community have frequently alleged that streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video promote anti-India and anti-Hindu sentiments. In response to such criticism, these platforms have apparently withdrawn or modified certain content deemed controversial, sparking debates about creative freedom and censorship.

Hindutva groups in India are pushing for tougher regulations on OTT platforms, citing frequent instances of content that offends Hindu sentiments. Earlier this year, in January, the Nayanthara-starring film ‘Annapoorani’ was pulled from Netflix following public complaints.