Netflix India has promised to align its content with "national sentiments" moving forward, following controversy over its web series IC 814 Kandahar Hijack. The series, which revisits the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, has faced backlash for its portrayal of the hijackers, particularly due to the use of names like "Bhola" and "Shankar," which critics argue misrepresent the terrorists' identities and offend Hindu sentiments.

The series, directed by Anubhav Sinha and released on August 29, led to an hour-long meeting between Netflix and Indian government officials to address the concerns. The controversy has sparked a heated debate on social media, with hashtags like #BoycottNetflix and #BoycottBollywood trending. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya accused the filmmakers of attempting to sanitize the terrorists' image by using Hindu names, while former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized the selective outrage, citing inconsistencies in demands for historical accuracy in films.

A Union Home Ministry document from the aftermath of the 1999 hijacking clarified that the hijackers used nicknames such as Bhola, Shankar, Doctor, and Burger to refer to each other on the plane. The document confirms that these were the names by which the hijackers addressed one another during the incident.

In related news, Kangana Ranaut’s forthcoming film Emergency, depicting former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the 1975-77 Emergency period, has also drawn criticism. The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has objected to the film, causing a delay in its certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Ranaut expressed frustration over what she perceives as selective censorship, contrasting it with the perceived lack of consequences for violent or politically charged content on OTT platforms.