Highlights
The recent Netflix series “IC814: The Kandahar Hijack” has raised controversy concerning the Indian Airlines hijacking case that took place in 1999. The show that came under fire by critics was directed by Anubhav Sinha where the hijackers’ names were changed and terrorists were depicted as humans. One of the actors of the series, Kumud Mishra, who has a significant role in the series, supports the filmmakers and their creative choices. This article discusses the controversy, looks at the issues of historical realism and artistic license, and stresses the need to consider the nature of dramatized accounts based on real-life events.
Controversy and Clarification
The main issue of debate in “IC814: The Kandahar Hijack” was the fact that two hijackers were named ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar’. This almost resulted in the alleged manipulation of historical records deliberately. In response, Netflix changed the disclaimer of the series by including the real and code names of the hijackers. The actor who plays the character of RAW Joint Secretary Ranjan Mishra, Kumud Mishra, says that these were the actual code names used during the actual event to try and subdue the controversy.
Balancing Fact and Fiction
Mishra emphasizes that while the series is ‘based on’ true events, it is not a documentary. He says that, although most of the facts relating to the event are unaltered, some aspects are included merely for the sake of the story. The actor notes that the characters depicted are not real-life personas but the portrayal of how people could have been in such circumstances. In this way, he claims, it is possible to tell a more interesting story, without compromising the historical setting.
Addressing Criticisms
The series received further flak for depicting terrorists and for having a love interest subplot. Mishra also raises an eyebrow at the rationale of these social media discourses asking why the majority of viewers appreciating the show are not the ones with these concerns. He encourages discussions on the decisions made for portraying but stresses that the series does that in response to the critics on its own.
Mishra also discusses the concept of truth in history as well as referencing Akira Kurosawa’s film “Rashomon” to show how people see things differently. He says that the event itself is still a mystery and there can be two or more truths in as much as they are in different perspectives.
