IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Review: A Thoroughly Researched Series That Points the Finger at the System

When it comes to sensitive subjects like national security, filmmakers often resort to a jingoistic tone. Dramatic speeches, theatrical dialogues, mawkish music and factually incorrect portrayals underpin the story. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Netflix’s latest original series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, which brings a refreshingly dispassionate approach to genre.

The show takes us back to December 1999, when five terrorists took over the control of an Indian Airlines flight, en route from Kathmandu to Delhi, over an eight-day period. The incident has since gone down in Indian history as a chilling reminder for the unpreparedness of the government, the numerous bureaucratic lapses and painfully long negotiations with terrorists that eventually led to the release of hostages; Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Srivastava’s retelling lays it all bare.

Over the six episodes, we witness the chaos and devastation that unfolded, both onboard the plane and on the ground, as the crisis pushed the nation to the brink. From the inception of the hijack plan to its monstrous outcomes, the series firmly establishes the order of events in a gripping fashion. All the episodes are crisp and well-paced and don’t waste time beating around the bush. There are no unnecessary tropes or subplots that commercial cinema often heavily relies on.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Review: Perfectly Balanced

Patralekha plays the role of one of the two air hostesses onboard the hijacked IC 814 flight

While films and shows based on actual events often stand a risk of either information overload that leaves the audience confused and tapped out, or oversimplification that reduces the nuances of history to a Wikipedia page, Sinha has done a fine job of striking a balance between the two with smartly paced voiceovers to provide context. The show is neither boring, like a significant chunk of historical documentaries tend to be, nor does it follow Bollywood’s version of utopian politics, where politicians and judges dole out sentimental speeches as moral lessons to criminals.

Even though we are given a lot of information about terrorists, foreign relations and geo-political standoffs, the overall tone never becomes academic. The evenly placed voiceovers give a crisp context of what’s happening and why, without overwhelming the audience. They help in forming a dialogue of sorts between the makers of the mini-series and the viewers. While a similar approach was attempted in Imtiaz Ali’s Amar Singh Chamkila, it didn’t quite work — at least not for me. Thankfully, the biopic’s faulty fragmentation is not seen in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.

The Netflix original also stays wary of the mono-chromed representation of political goof-ups. We see the crisis management group taking convenient tea breaks as the lives of many hang in the air, and the same group putting its neck on the line to save the day. You’ll hear them vouch to help “our people,” and you also see them complain about “too much democracy” in the country. They aren’t painted with a singular brush.

The show stands true to the book by Captain Devi Sharan, the pilot of the ill-fated Indian Airlines Flight 814, and incorporates true archival footage, offering an insightful retelling of incidents from the tragedy. We see the then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee condemning the hijack, wailing families protesting at airports and news anchors reporting the cluelessness of officials.

While in Kandahar, the real IC 814’s engine remained continuously on to protect everyone from the biting cold winter nights of Afghanistan

The recreated scenes are remarkably accurate and starkly similar to the original footage, thanks to the meticulous attention to detail with careful positioning, camera angles, and even gestures. There is footage of Jaswant Singh, the then minister of external affairs, talking about the hijack to the media, immediately followed by Pankaj Kapur’s – essaying the same role, with Singh’s name changed – recreated version. The recreation is beyond impressive with Kapur’s convincing diction adding to the scene’s overall excellence. Sinha and Shrivastava have, however, made a few changes by swapping out the real names of officials and passengers, likely to protect their privacy and avoid conflict.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Review: Nuanced Portrayal

Naseeruddin Shah and Arvind Swamy play the cabinet secretary of India and the joint secretary of RAW, respectively, in the show

The series also subverts the usual tropes seen in similar film and TV adaptations. Halfway through the show, there is a scene where we see a terrorist playing antakshari with a group of passengers. In another, we see one offering a light to the captain and comforting a puking air hostess. The depiction of terrorists isn’t one-note and is surprisingly nuanced, exploring how humans could behave in adverse and unusual circumstances.

The show also excels at shedding a light on the sheer desperation and hopelessness of the situation. Over 180 passengers and crew were confined to the aircraft for seven days, fearing for their lives and holding on to hope amidst vile conditions. In one particularly unsettling scene, we see a helpless flight attendant clean out a filthy, overflowing toilet when there is no place left in the plane for anyone to relieve themselves. The scene is one of the most impactful sequences from the show and the disturbing imagery is likely to stay with viewers long after the credits roll.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Review: Technical Failings

To prepare for the role, Vijay Verma spent some time with Captain Devi Sharan and visited a pilot training institute

Despite an excellent recreation of the period and an engaging storyline, IC 814 lags significantly on the visual front. While I could still fathom the overall dark tone of the series and excuse it for the creative choice considering the themes, some of the scenes are unwatchable, particularly the ones where the bureaucrats meet. The improper lighting and shoddy edits make the scenes come across as a dream sequence of a colour-blind person, with a ghostly halo effect hovering over the figures.

The colour grading in these scenes is so distracting that it almost interferes with and compromises the gravitas of the storyline. While the high-profile officials are discussing the nation’s fate for the years to come and demand undivided attention, I couldn’t help but be distracted by Naseeruddin Shah’s unnaturally orangish dark circles. The show’s visuals would have fared well without these teal and orange-dominated hues.

Another front where technical shortcomings compromised the scene quality was the filming of turbulent IC 814 suspended in the sky. The entire frame is excessively shaky, reminding one of the vintage films where a crew member is possibly shaking sky-painted cardboard in front of a huge camera lens. While I get that the makers intended to bring out a sense of urgency, but a better visual effects job could have easily done the trick.

This is especially disappointing since Sinha has done an otherwise brilliant job with set design and props. We see original Maruti Suzukis, vintage radios, classic briefcases, and even the fashion trends of the 90s.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack makes for a compelling genre-bending show, backed by thorough research and accurate recreations of the tragedy

A few technical shortcomings apart, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is an outstanding, genre-bending show that has set a new bar for historical adaptations. From its impeccable set designs to remarkable recreations, the Netflix original successfully captures the essence of that time and conveys the horror beyond screens. Sinha’s thorough research is evident in each scene and manages to convey the gravitas of the crisis, without overwhelming the viewers with too much information.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack raises crucial questions about national security, public safety, and bureaucratic shortcomings, serving as a poignant reminder of the humongous cost that a nation may have to pay even with the slightest of negligence. It creates a sense of urgency, without pointing fingers at anyone. The real question, however, is whether we are prepared to combat something like this now. Is the Kandahar tragedy a lesson hard-learned, or a dark chapter etched in history? While there have been no other airplane hijacks in India since the IC 814, Sinha’s show is a timely reminder of identifying and combating systemic weaknesses.

Rating: 8/10

All episodes of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack are now streaming on Netflix