IC 814: Anubhav Sinha’s hijack drama brings ancient history to cinematic conclusion
The selection of archival footage in Anubhav Sinha’s ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ is particularly impressive. The scenes of panicked families not getting any information about their loved ones from airport authorities are deeply felt.
For a seven-year-old girl, watching news of a plane hijacking, with terrified people mourning for their families on television, was very distressing, especially on New Year’s Eve, as the adults in her family discussed what the government did right and what it did wrong.
Twenty-five years later, this little girl, who only remembered the Kandahar hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane on New Year’s Eve, got a detailed account of the horrific incident of 1999 while huddled in her blanket, eating peanuts and watching the news. Anubhav Sinha’s ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ Not only is it exciting, it’s also a deep glimpse into their country’s past.
The six-part series, adapted from Flight Into Fear: A Captain’s Story, written by Captain Devi Sharan (the pilot in charge of the hijacked plane) and Srinjoy Chowdhury, tells a tough story. Yet, to the credit of Sinha and his co-writer Trishant Srivastava, the storytelling is so engaging that the grim sequence of events not only keeps the audience glued to their seats, but also gives us a chance to see the world as it was through old footage and news clippings.
American documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen once said, “Old films offer an opportunity to bring the past alive in a unique cinematic way.” Director Anubhav Sinha proves it with old footage from 1999, cut with the urgency of a thriller.
The first scene of the series is documentary footage of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane parked in the wasteland of Kandahar, Afghanistan. The next episode details the involvement of the ISI and Pakistani terrorist Amjad Farooqui, dubbed the ‘Butcher of Herat’ by the Americans, in the hijacking. With soundless, chaotic and old green-coloured footage, Sinha gives the background to Farooqui’s involvement with the Taliban and his proximity to al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
The selection of archival footage is particularly impressive. The shots of panicked families, who lament the lack of information from airport officials about their loved ones, are deeply felt.
Sinha’s series is neither the first screen adaptation, nor the last, to center around a hijacking. For instance, Rohit Shetty’s Zameen (2003) presented a highly nationalistic reinterpretation of the same event. Rather than addressing the actual events of the hijacking, it took creative liberties to portray a successful mission in which the Indian Army successfully eliminated both the hijackers and the terrorists. In contrast, Sinha’s series leaves the conclusion open to interpretation; after the passengers’ release one character asks, “So, we won?” to which another replies, “Did we win?”
Similarly, Sonam Kapoor’s film ‘Neerja’, based on the life of head flight attendant Neerja Bhanot who died saving lives on a hijacked Pan Am flight in 1986, presented an emotional story of a hijacking that resulted in several deaths. However, the focus was on the story itself, not how it was told.
It’s common to use artistic liberties and composite characters when adapting true stories to the screen. However, what matters most in influential films based on real events is not the accuracy of names and dates, but how the director, writers, and actors craft scenes that immerse us in the events that shaped our world. Art sometimes really must imitate life.
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has interesting archival footage that sheds light on why Lahore initially refused to allow IC 814 to land and why the US refrained from getting involved, citing the backdrop of New Year and Christmas celebrations as well as the nuclear testing at Pokhran a year earlier. The show’s makers skillfully prevent the story of the longest hijacking in India’s aviation history from getting dominated by grand themes of bravery and heroism.
Through this series, viewers experience the past as it unfolded, without any distortion of memory or the need to visit Wikipedia for clarity. Sadly, those in power should have perhaps considered doing some research before pulling Netflix on behalf of some keyboard warriors.
