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IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack: Anubhav Sinha addresses accusations of his show whitewashing ISI’s involvement: ‘I am not writing history'
In a recent interview, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack director Anubhav Sinha responded to whitewashing claims, stating the series is a dramatic retelling, not a historical record.
Director Anubhav Sinha’s series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack garnered praise but also faced criticism. Some viewers accused the series of misrepresenting the terrorists' religious identities and whitewashing the role of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from Pakistan. Anubhav recently addressed these issues and said, “At the end of the day, it’s a dramatic narration of an event. I am not writing history.”
In an interview with India Today, Anubhav Sinha was asked about a scene in his series where Osama bin Laden hosts a party for the hijackers, supposedly without ISI operatives present, and whether this suggested the series was clearing the ISI of wrongdoing. Sinha clarified that the events shown were true to what happened and emphasized that the series was grounded in thorough research.
Anubhav added that a substantial amount of research was conducted for the series, but ultimately, it serves as a dramatic portrayal rather than a historical record. He added, "If somebody has to refer to the Kandahar hijack, you won’t refer to this series, but other documents and source materials instead. You don’t go after films for historical references. Films get away with just a disclaimer saying ‘all the characters are fictional’." He also shared that films may take creative liberties when factual details are lacking.
The director further explained that the series accurately represents the ISI's involvement in Kathmandu according to actual events and does not exonerate the agency. Sinha noted that the series is not intended to be a historical account.
Although he had the rights to use the captain’s name, he chose not to, opting for a fresh interpretation of the events. He acknowledged that while some aspects of such a conspiracy have clear answers, there are often multiple versions of the story.
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack faced backlash after its August 29 release, with claims of 'whitewashing' the hijack's background. To address concerns over factual inaccuracies, Netflix agreed to update the series' disclaimer to include the hijackers' real names. Nonetheless, a Home Ministry statement from January 6, 2000, available on the Ministry of External Affairs website, verifies that the code names used in the show are indeed those used by the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terrorists.
Meanwhile, the series draws inspiration from the 2000 book Flight Into Fear: The Captain's Story by Captain Devi Sharan and journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury. This six-episode series focuses on the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight traveling from Kathmandu to Delhi.
The cast includes Vijay Verma, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajiv Thakur, Dia Mirza, Amrita Puri, Patralekhaa, and others.
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