Netflix Hits Legal Turbulence in India Over Hit ‘IC 814’ Hijack Series

As a cinephile with a keen interest in international cinema and a soft spot for dramas based on true events, I find myself captivated by the ongoing saga of “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.” Having lived through the real-life incident that inspired this series, my curiosity was piqued when I first heard about it. However, the legal dispute between Netflix and Asian News International has added an unexpected twist to what was already a gripping story.


I find myself in the midst of a legal tussle between Netflix and Asian News International (ANI), concerning the popular Netflix series “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.

As a movie critic, I found myself captivated by the gripping narrative of a drama, masterfully directed by Anubhav Sinha. This compelling tale takes us on a fictional journey that mirrors the chilling events of Indian Airlines Flight 814’s hijacking in 1999. The flight, originally bound for New Delhi from Kathmandu, was diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan, an incident that is now ranked No. 2 among Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English shows.

A news agency has filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court, claiming copyright infringement regarding archival footage provided by ANI, which was used in a six-episode series. They are requesting that four of these episodes be removed. Netflix did not comment when approached about this ongoing legal issue by EbMaster. The court will address the case on Friday.

The show has faced controversy since it began airing on August 29. Some social media users have criticized the fact that the hijackers in the series were given Hindu names, although they were actually Muslim terrorists from Pakistan. A member of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrote on X: “The hijackers of IC-814 were feared terrorists who disguised their Muslim identities with aliases. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, in turn, validated their criminal motives by using non-Muslim names for them. Consequently, people might mistakenly believe that Hindus carried out the hijacking of IC-814 decades later.

In 2000, a declaration from India’s home ministry (during the BJP administration that ruled from 1998 to 2004) has been publicly available, asserting that the hijackers were of Pakistani Muslim origin. This statement reveals that the hijackers were commonly recognized by the passengers as: (1) The Leader, (2) The Doctor, (3) Burger, (4) Bhola, and (5) Shankar – these are the names they consistently used when addressing each other.

To make things clearer for viewers who might not be aware of the 1999 Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking incident, Netflix revised the disclaimer preceding the show in India. They explained that the opening disclaimer has been amended to incorporate both the genuine and pseudonyms of the hijackers.

The drama, based on the book “Flight Into Fear” by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury, provides a comprehensive examination of the crisis from various perspectives. It delivers an intricate portrayal of the incident, depicting the nerve-wracking discussions in Delhi’s War Room, the delicate diplomacy during the Taliban-controlled Kandahar, and the harrowing experience endured by both passengers and crew on the hijacked plane.

For a second time this year, Netflix has been asked to take down Indian content from its platform. In January, the Tamil film “Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food,” starring actor Nayanthara from “Jawan,” was taken off Netflix following numerous complaints from Hindu groups. These groups filed police reports alleging that the movie disrespected Hindu religious feelings.

A Netflix representative stated that ‘The film was taken down due to the licensor’s demand,’ when communicating with EbMaster earlier,” and now, the same movie can be found streaming on Simply South.

In 2021, Amazon Prime Video issued an apology for their Indian-produced series “Tandav,” as certain scenes within it upset members of the current Hindu nationalist government.

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2024-09-10 10:46