Anubhav Sinha Gets ANGRY When Asked About IC814: The Kandahar Hijack Row: 'Aapne Series Dekhi Hai?'

Anubhav Sinha seemingly got angry and irritated on Tuesday when he was asked about the controversy surrounding his recent directorial, IC814: The Kandahar Hijack. The filmmaker held a press conference in Mumbai along with the cast of his show when he talked about the 1999 incident but refused to take questions from journalists.

When one of the scribes asked him about the allegation of distorting facts, Sinha got angry and refused to answer. However, the journalist kept asking the filmmaker to address the row following which Anubhav got angry and counter-asked, ‘Aapne series dekhi hai?’ He then walked off.

For the unversed, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has left a section of the audience disappointed. The show, which stars Vijay Varma, Dia Mirza, Pankaj Kapur, Arvind Swamy and Naseeruddin Shah in key roles, was released on Netflix earlier last week. However, many have accused the series of ‘whitewashing’ the events. Following the release, several users also pointed out the non-Muslim names of the hijackers in the show and sought a boycott.

In reality, the hijackers were reportedly named Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny, Ahmad Qazi, Zahoor Mistry and Shakir. In the series, the terrorists have been named Bhola, Shankar, Doctor, Burger and Chief. The series seemingly hinted that the terrorists had codenames.

Due to the backlash, Netflix agreed to update the disclaimer of the series and mention the real names of the hijackers. The decision came after officials of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry met Netflix representatives over the alleged misrepresentation of facts in the new series.

“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 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,” said Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India.