'PR Job For ISI': Netflix’s IC 814 Series Sparks Outrage, Slammed For Distorted Portrayal Of Terrorists And Vajpayee Government

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s latest web series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Story, which premiered on Netflix on August 29, has ignited a storm of controversy and backlash.

Based on the harrowing 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the series depicts the plane’s journey from Kathmandu to Kandahar under Taliban control, sparking outrage for various reasons.

The backlash centres around the series’ portrayal of the hijacking and its characters.

Historian Hindol Sengupta was particularly vocal in his condemnation, calling the film “pathetic” for what he sees as its glorification of terrorists.

Sengupta argues that the series fails to acknowledge the long-term impact of the terrorists released during the hijacking, diminishing the severity of the real-life events.

Vir Sanghvi, a veteran journalist and commentator often seen as aligned with the left-liberal ecosystem and Congress, echoed these concerns. Sanghvi accused the series of serving as a propaganda piece for the ISI. He criticised the filmmakers for being naive and misleading, suggesting that the series offers a whitewashed portrayal of an ISI operation while failing to accurately represent the threat posed by the hijackers.

Abhishek Asthana, an entrepreneur and commentator who runs the popular X (Twitter) handle @GabbbarSingh, also weighed in on the controversy. Asthana found the series engaging yet deeply problematic. He appreciated the show’s unique perspective through the eyes of an intelligence official but criticised it for depicting the hijackers in a sympathetic light and portraying the Indian government as inept.

Asthana argued that the series channels viewer anger in a disingenuous way, skewing the portrayal of both the hijackers and the Indian officials involved.

Adding to the debate, Sonam Mahajan, a prominent commentator on India-Pakistan issues, accused Sinha of distorting historical facts to promote an “anti-Hindu agenda.”

Mahajan described the series as a “farcical narrative” that undermines the real horror of the hijacking. She contends that the show attempts to rewrite history, glorifying terrorism while vilifying the Hindu community.

Meanwhile, journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit, expressed disappointment with the series’ execution. Despite strong performances from the cast, Kaul felt the series failed to capture the emotional depth and gravity of the hijacking, resulting in a lacklustre portrayal of a significant moment in Indian aviation history.