Netflix Series on IC 814 Hijacking Survivors Share Overlooked Details and ControversiesIn light of the recent debates surrounding the Netflix series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,’ which has sparked controversy due to the use of Hindu codenames for the Muslim terrorists involved in the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight, two survivors have come forward to share their perspectives. While they agree that the series portrays the truth, they also believe that some critical incidents were overlooked, focusing more on the political narrative than the personal ordeals of those on board.
Rakesh and Pooja Kataria, who were a young couple returning from their honeymoon in Nepal when the hijacking occurred, provided insights into the accuracy of the series. Rakesh, who chose not to watch the series to avoid reliving the traumatic experience, acknowledged that the portrayal was largely truthful. “I’ve heard about the controversies, but what Netflix has depicted is true,” he said.
He confirmed that two of the five hijackers were indeed referred to by the codenames “Bhola” and “Shankar,” a fact that Netflix did not fabricate. “The names used were aliases, and while the hijackers were Muslim, two had Hindu codenames. This is the truth, not fiction,” Rakesh emphasized.
Pooja, echoing her husband’s remarks, stated that the names “Bhola” and “Shankar” were indeed used for two of the hijackers, adding, “The series shows what we actually went through, but it missed out on several internal incidents.” She mentioned that while the series focused on the political aspects and negotiations, it didn’t delve deeply into the internal experiences of the passengers, including the terrifying moments when they were forced to keep their heads down and feared for their lives.
Recalling the ordeal, Pooja mentioned that there were 26 other couples on the flight who were also returning from their honeymoon in Nepal, including Rupin Katyal, who was tragically killed by the hijackers. She detailed how the hijackers forced the passengers to comply, initially unaware of the gravity of the situation. The term ‘hijack’ wasn’t widely understood at the time, leading to initial confusion among the passengers.
One of the hijackers, known by the codename “Doctor,” reportedly gave speeches encouraging passengers to convert to Islam, claiming it was a superior religion. Pooja recalled, “He [Doctor] would say that Islam is a better religion, much better than Hinduism. He gave several such speeches.”
During the interview, Pooja also shared some memorabilia from the flight, including a shawl signed by “Burger,” another hijacker, as well as other items such as tickets, boarding passes, and a can of Pakistani Pepsi.
The series, ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,’ created by Anubhav Sinha, revisits the harrowing events of December 24, 1999, when the Delhi-bound flight was hijacked shortly after takeoff from Kathmandu. The plane was diverted to multiple locations before eventually landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where negotiations took place over seven grueling days. The Indian government eventually released three high-profile terrorists in exchange for the hostages.
Despite its attempt to portray the events, the series has faced backlash for not using the real names of the terrorists and instead opting for codenames. This has led to scrutiny from various quarters, including a summons by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to Netflix India’s content chief, Monika Shergill, to address the concerns.
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