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Controversial Portrayal: Netflix India's series "IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack" has drawn criticism for allegedly misrepresenting the hijackers' identities.
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Meeting with I&B Ministry: Netflix India's content head met with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting following public and legal concerns.
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Public and Political Outcry: The series faced backlash from social media and BJP leaders, who called for strict action.
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Netflix's Stance: Netflix claims the series is based on public records but hasn't indicated any changes.
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Implications for Streaming Platforms: The controversy underscores the balancing act between creative freedom and regulatory scrutiny in India.
Image Source - Gabbru.com
Netflix India is once again in the line of fire over its latest series titled "IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack," a dramatized version of events connected with the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight way back in 1999. Controversies are reportedly centered around the naming of the hijackers in the series as there are reports that Hindu names have been used instead of Muslim ones, something that has angered sections of the public and a few political leaders.
Meeting with the I&B Ministry
Netflix India's Vice President of Content, Monika Shergill was summoned by the I&B ministry for an explanation over the series. The meeting came after a PIL was filed against Netflix accusing the OTT platform of deliberately distorting facts relating to the hijacking incident. Demanding a review of the content, the PIL also called for the immediate removal of the misleading portion.
Batao, is Bhikharistan Terroπist country ke liye @anubhavsinha ne apni izzat aur imaan nilaam kar liya #IC814TheKandaharHijack pic.twitter.com/P9NYIxl52I— Mihir Jha (@MihirkJha) September 2, 2024
Public Reaction and Political Backlash
The series has been receiving strong criticism on social media from political leaders for its attempt to rewrite history by misrepresenting the identities of hijackers. A few BJP leaders came forward and stated that such portrayal might mislead the audience and hurt public sentiments, and for which strict action should be taken against the platform if the allegation of misrepresentation is true.
Netflix's Defence and Next Steps
After outrage, Netflix India explained that the series is a fictionalized show based on a publically known story and was enacted to represent real incidents. However, so far, the company has not spoken about whether or not it will alter such censorable content in the series after the criticism. The streaming giant is likely to face greater scrutiny over the next few days, with the I&B Ministry doing a review of the content to ensure that the content is according to Indian regulations.
Image Source - India Today
Broader Implications for Streaming Platforms
This is a long-standing confrontation between creative freedom in streaming and the necessary regulation performed by states. In a nutshell, growing concerns over sensitive or misleading content have thrown Netflix into an increasingly challenging environment in India, poised carefully to keep a delicate balance between creative freedom and cultural and political sensitivities.
Inputs by Agencies
Image Source: Multiple Agencies
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