I watched two episodes a day and finally completed viewing IC814 on Netflix. I watched it as an ignorant viewer, unaware of the various issues raised by it in terms of misleading and whitewashing segments of stakeholders. And today, I read that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, has summoned Netflix India’s content head. It seems MI&B wants an explanation on the depiction of the five Hijackers and is seeking an explanation on other sensitive issues over the cinematic representation of the IC184 hijack. And there is a PLI filed for banning it- now that is taking it too far. First is the review, followed by the issues facing the series.
The most televised Hijack in Indian history.
Five armed men hijacked IC184 when it took off from Kathmandu to Delhi. They then forced the plan to fly to Amritsar, Lahore (Pakistan- where kids and women were allowed to deboard) and finally to Kandahar (Afghanistan), which was at that time under Taliban rule. In a tense drama that I remember watching unfolding on Indian television over more than six days, the Indian Government, then ruled by the collation Government headed by Hon. PM Atal Bihari Bajpai, released three terrorists in exchange for 179 Passengers. The Hon. Home Minister Jaswant Singh flew to Kandahar to get the passengers back.
IC184 BOOK VS SERIES.
I have not read the book ‘Flight into Fear: The Captain’s Story’ by Captain Devi Sharan and Air Engineer Srinjoy Chowdhury on which IC184 series is based. So, I have no idea how much creative liberty Anubhav Sinha has taken in presenting his POV (if any) and being true to the incident.
IC184- REVIEW.
Anubhav Sinha, who directed IC184, is confused about what and why of making the series. It is not a mere Hijack Drama stretching an 8-day timeline. There is hardly any drama or tense moments. The series meanders through an unsolved lazy maze that ends abruptly.
The IC184 also portrays and shows the airline staff completely dedicated to their role and responsibilities. The Air-hostesses (Patralekhaa and Aditi Gupta) are caring and strong. They are led by Captain Sharan Dev ( Vijay Verma) who is calm, efficient and under tremendous pressure. He thinks of ways to outwit the hijackers, follows their instructions, cares for the passengers and, above all, snaps as a human being.
Anubhav is not sure if IC184 is about the side stories of the passengers and their loved ones. You are given a glimpse of some background life, but it remains unexplored and unexploited—something that could have made the series much more enjoyable.
IC184, for a moment, has a short story developing between traditional print and emerging TV reporting—the ethics and newsworthiness—the reporting and sensitisation. Even this is left unexplored. It is another tease with no sure ending.
Again, Anubhav Sinha is unsure if it is about the near callous approach and breakdown of the government machinery, which is what one gets the impression of from a mockery of the bureaucratic portrayal of the government stakeholders. It’s more of a blame game than taking action. However, Anubhav has been able to demonstrate different types of bureaucratic approaches. One wants to act and advise against negotiation to the ones who don’t want the blame for any mishap to land on their turf. The interplay between Internal Security and RAW – is one of the better parts of IC184.
UNEVEN PACED.
The pace is too uneven. It is like a stretch of Indian roads post-heavy monsoon. The first few episodes are long drawn- lazy for a hijack thriller. And then suddenly they call pack-up. The wrap-up is crazy swift and uneventful.
Using actual footage at specific points in the series makes it seem too close to reality. This raises the issue of the depiction’s accuracy and no longer remains a POV or director’s perspective. The director could have avoided it, and it would not have impacted the series’ authenticity but hopefully added much freedom. In anyway , these insertions are bumpy and not well handled.
TOO MUCH WASTED TALENT.
IC184 has one of the most enviable casts on the OTT platform.
IC184 has Pankaj Kapur (Minister of External Affairs- Jaswant Singh), Naseeruddin Shah (National Security Advisor), Aditya Srivastava and Kumud Mishra (RAW), Kanwaljit Singh and Manoj Pahwa (IB), and Aravind Swamy and Dibyendu Bhattacharya (MEA officers).
IC814 demonstrates that even a high-potential cast of proven actors can do little with unclear and unexploited roles. However, they do give the audience a few moments to appreciate IC184.
Rajiv Thakur was a revelation and played his part neatly. He well portrayed the conflict during negotiation and the personal agenda.
Vijay Raj is the hero of the series and gives an understated, commanding delivery of a very layered role.
And to note, Diya Mirza is also part of the underutilised- I don’t know why she was there cast.
NETNET IC814
Watch it if you do not have anything else to watch or if you are in you are under 35- who may not have a memory of the IC184 hijack. It is an Okay thriller- not a complete waste. It is tight at a certain section but unusually fails to create a Y0Yo of expectation and high with its unrealistic attempt to cover a canvas larger than possible.
There is a wasted opportunity to further deep dive into discussion on the value of a civilian and a defence personal life – when negotiating the release is being discussed. Due to multiple side stories and a rushed approach- even that is lost. No- I do not expect cinema to be a moral guardian of society- but do expect when series are made on such subjects with a real national incidence in background- it should deliver more.
IC 814 is a below-average series that fails to create drama or represent a differential POV to be worthy of being viewed. In sum- not worthy of carrying the NETFLIX ORIGINAL tag. It tends to be a fictional story with too much creative liberty- and when people in the know talk like that- there is a problem.
The dialogues are not so great. But there are few lines that may get quoted again and again is ““Coffee is like religion, not open to interpretation. Tea is like blind faith. In whatever form we might get it, we take it”
ISSUES AROUND IC814.
ISSUES 1- Using Hindu Names for Muslim Hijackers from Pakistan.
‘People remember films and audio-visual depictions more than the news. Hence, the wrong naming of the terrorist hijackers – Shankar and Bhola- will lead the generations to weaken India’s security apparatus and, in the long run, shift the blame away from the religious group responsible for all the bloodshed- is a narrative of the objection being raised and a call to ban and boycott of the series. And there is some truth in it.
For the records, the official documents name the five hijackers as Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Gulshan Iqbal, Sunny Ahmed Qazi and Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, originating and having links with Pakistan. However, the news articles and other reports point out that code names ‘Chief, Burger, Shiva, Bhola..” were used by the hijackers and the passengers knew them by this name. The reasons could be anything- but this points to the fact that the director on this count is correct.
The current government and the part of the Indian population could be sensitive to this. No one wants to be seen as weak. And the masses completely and truthfully believe that the terrorist hijackers were non-Hindu.
A risk scam and social media risk audit could have alerted the director on this subject, and the whole issue could have been tackled by specifying this code naming. In today’s scenario- the director had the moral responsibility to make it clear, which Anubhav ignored. The actual terrorist names should have been spelt loudly and clearly.
ISSUE 2- Social Bonding between IC814 Hijackers and the Passengers.
The viewers edged by the social media have questioned passengers playing antakshari with the hijacker, being cool about the whole delay and even exchanging cigarettes. To me is relatable and very possible. Just as possible as the crew collectively, in a moment of despair and bravado, think of the plan to overpower the hijackers. Unfortunately, these incidents could have made IC 184 more interesting, but they are not exploited enough.
ISSUE 3- Showing the Political and bureaucratic set-up in bad light.
If the events happened the way they happened, if the film plays according to the book, official files, or media coverage, the director should have certain creative freedom. However, it should not claim to be a true event; it must state that it is a differential perspective based on and name the sources.
ISSUE 4- IC814 Hijack- Blame it on Osama.
IC184 gives clean chit to Pakistan and ISI. It blames Osama Bin Laden, which is contrary to the public understanding. Truth Unknown- but ISI is referred to as a mastermind for the IC814 hijack in lot many documents and reports. It should also be shown that the five were directly linked to ISI at a later date. And that a few of them were citizen of Pakistan.
ISSUE 5- Terrorist Context Unexplained.
It is believed that the series does not clearly create and refers to the background of three terrorists including Masood Azhar who were released. This cannot be an oversight.
ADDON- IC421.
Now, I suppose someone would also be writing a script for the IC421 hijack drama that unfolded on 24th August 1984 when seven Kirpan welding passengers’ members of the banned All India Silk Students Federation hijacked it while on a Delhi- Srinagar flight with 74 passengers on board. Like the case of IC814- the plane went from Amritsar to Lahore, to Karachi and then to Dubai- where the hijacker’s, surrendered and passengers were released.
QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD BE ANSERED.
Are we today prepared to handle such an episode? Remember, Indian Airlines has the dubious record of being hijacked more than 16 times. What is the Government playbook? Will we negotiate or be open to collateral damage during a rescue operation? Who and what pressured the PM to negotiate? A PM who was unwilling to do the same? Do we now have a consensus on how who and which security agency will lead the operation? And finally, will political considerations always overpower national interest? Such series- despite how wrong or right, if they make us re-visit and re-evaluate our stance and future preparedness- it would have done some good to society.
OTT SERIES: IC184. DIECRTOR: Anubhav Sinha. CAST: Vijay Verma, Patralekhaa, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swami, Dia Mirza, Amrita Puri, Anupam Tripathi, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Kanwaljeet Singh, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Sushant Singh, Aditya Srivastava, Rajiv Thakur
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