Netflix's Monika Shergill summoned over 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack' controversy
Reports say that Shergill appeared before MIB officials on September 3 following government summons
On September 2, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) summoned Netflix officials to discuss their series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The controversy involves the depiction of hijackers using Hindu pseudonyms, which has sparked concerns about potentially offending national sentiments, according to media reports.
A senior official from the ministry had been quoted stressing the need for media content to be sensitive to the country's feelings and urged Netflix to address these concerns carefully.
According to media reports, Netflix India content head Monika Shergill appeared on September 3, before officials from the MIB following a government summons. The Ministry requested Shergill to address concerns regarding the series' potentially contentious elements.
The series dramatizes the real-life hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 in 1999, a high-profile and traumatic event involving the hijacking of a plane from Kathmandu to New Delhi.
The portrayal has sparked debate on social media and #BoycottNetflix is trending on X.People are criticizing the insensitivity towards the religious and cultural connotations associated with the names used.
It's time to Ban Netflix#Boycott_IC814_Webseries as they are purposefully using Hindu name instead of actual terrorist names...#BoycottNetflix#NiteshKumar pic.twitter.com/915yVlWDwc
— ?Shambhu ?? © (@Shambhu_HJS) September 2, 2024
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.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 1, 2024
Result?
Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814.
Left’s…
What is stopping @narendramodi Govt to arrest both Writer and Director of the Controversial Web Series #IC814 under NSA for intentionally hurting the sentiments of Crores of Hindus?
— CA RAJEEV GUPTA (@RajeevGuptaCA) September 1, 2024
Anubhav Sinha has defamed Hindus and has become a huge burden on this earth!
Arrest him ASAP
Netflix series #IC814 by Anubhav Sinha tries to obfuscate facts of the hijacking. Few points:
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 2, 2024
1. Series doesn’t reveal at any point real names of Shankar and Bhola (Codenames) who were Pakistani Islamist terrorists.
2. Series gives clean chit to Pakistan and ISI. Pinning blame… pic.twitter.com/F4MEGBQHRL
