The Crossbill News Desk
On Tuesday, September 3, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting met with representatives from Netflix to address concerns regarding the depiction of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the show IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack.
The meeting was attended by I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju and Monika Shergill, Vice-President of Content at Netflix India, The Indian Express reported.
The series, which premiered on the streaming platform on August 29, has sparked controversy over the use of ‘Hindu’ codenames for the hijackers, despite a government press release from January 6, 2000, confirming their actual use.
Following the meeting, Shergill released a statement updating the opening disclaimer of the series to include both the real and code names of the hijackers.
“For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers,” the statement read.
“The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event. India has a rich culture of storytelling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation,” the statement added.
The Union government also raised concerns about the portrayal of the ISI in the show, particularly how an episode seems to exonerate the agency from its role in the hijacking. It was noted in the meeting that while the series incorporates archival footage to accurately represent certain aspects, it omits other significant details.
Additionally, the government flagged concerns about 'obscene' content in other foreign shows and films available on the platform, arguing that such content does not align with 'Indian values.' Netflix representatives were reminded to consider religious sensitivities and public sentiments when presenting content.
The show has encountered objections from several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and right-wing individuals on social media over use of the codenames 'Bhola' and 'Shankar' for two hijackers, accusing director Anubhav Sinha of 'cinematic whitewashing' and defaming Hindus.
However, a Union Home Ministry statement from January 2000 confirms that these codenames were indeed used by the hijackers, as also corroborated by the book Flight Into Fear by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury.
The meeting was attended by I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju and Monika Shergill, Vice-President of Content at Netflix India, The Indian Express reported.
The series, which premiered on the streaming platform on August 29, has sparked controversy over the use of ‘Hindu’ codenames for the hijackers, despite a government press release from January 6, 2000, confirming their actual use.
Following the meeting, Shergill released a statement updating the opening disclaimer of the series to include both the real and code names of the hijackers.
“For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers,” the statement read.
“The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event. India has a rich culture of storytelling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation,” the statement added.
The Union government also raised concerns about the portrayal of the ISI in the show, particularly how an episode seems to exonerate the agency from its role in the hijacking. It was noted in the meeting that while the series incorporates archival footage to accurately represent certain aspects, it omits other significant details.
Additionally, the government flagged concerns about 'obscene' content in other foreign shows and films available on the platform, arguing that such content does not align with 'Indian values.' Netflix representatives were reminded to consider religious sensitivities and public sentiments when presenting content.
The show has encountered objections from several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and right-wing individuals on social media over use of the codenames 'Bhola' and 'Shankar' for two hijackers, accusing director Anubhav Sinha of 'cinematic whitewashing' and defaming Hindus.
However, a Union Home Ministry statement from January 2000 confirms that these codenames were indeed used by the hijackers, as also corroborated by the book Flight Into Fear by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury.
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