“Jawani ke josh ko zindagi ke thapedon se zyada zor dete hain,” Vinay Kaul (Naseeruddin Shah) asserts to Minister of External Affairs Vijaybhan Singh (Pankaj Kapur) in a pivotal moment of Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814: The Kandahar Attack. This poignant statement, laced with biting sarcasm, perfectly encapsulates the show’s exploration of India’s darkest hijack and the bureaucratic red tape that hindered the government’s response. Netflix’s limited series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, transports viewers back to 1999, when an entire nation was held hostage for over seven days.
A group of terrorists hijacked a flight from Kathmandu to Delhi, holding 188 people captive. A stellar ensemble cast, including Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Yashpal Sharma, Arvind Swamy, Kanwaljeet Singh, Dia Mirza, Amruta Puri and Sushant Singh, brings this harrowing event to life, immersing audiences in the tension and drama of the situation.
P & I couldn’t wait to watch it and as soon as the weekend kicked off, we got down to business. Here’s all about this stellar show headlined by a cast made of dreams brought together by Anubhav Sinha.
7 days of unrelenting terror. Witness the story of the longest hijack in Indian history.
Based on true events – IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, a limited series, is out now, only on Netflix!#IC814OnNetflix pic.twitter.com/kaGrElSoq1— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) August 29, 2024
IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack: A Striking Exposé of ‘Avoid Responsibility’ Culture in India’s Bureaucracy
Back in December 1999, like everyone else in the country, I, a 7-year-old kid, watched intently as my grandpa put on the news about the hijacking of Indian Airlines’ flight IC 814. For the next one week, all he and I consumed on tv and newspapers was about this hijack and how lives of over 180 people hung in the balance. Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack took me back to those vivid memories in a gripping and intense manner. Layer by layer, episode by episode, Sinha unravelled what may have gone on behind closed doors in the war room with all the bureaucrats and ministers when the hijack first came to light.
In a 6-episode limited series, each lasting about 43 minutes, we get to see two different scenarios. One involved Captain Sharan Dev (Vijay Varma), air-hostesses Indrani (Patralekhaa), Chhaya (Aditi) and the 180 odd passengers on IC 814 trying to swallow the hard pill of being hijacked by a bunch of terrorists without a plan. The other involved the crisis management team consisting of South Block Delhi babus like Mukul Mohan (Manoj Pahwa), Ranjan Mishra (Kumud Mishra), VK Agarwal (Aditya Srivastava) and DRS (Arvind Swamy), along with Minister of External Affairs, Vijaybhan Singh, and Cabinet Secretary & Head of CMG Naseeruddin Shah. One thing common in both scenarios was the cluelessness of the decision-makers.
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At one end, we see the air-hostesses Indrani and Chhaya trying to stay calm themselves while ensuring the passengers remain safe from the wrath of the hijackers. On the other hand, we see babus of IB and RAW – Mukul, Ranjan, and VK – engaging in a blame game and asking “who should do the job?” Sinha tries to add his sarcasm and dark humour even in things as trivial as a tea cup being passed from one bureaucrat to another as the babus try to decide who should be the one taking the blame for the security lapse.
While the series claims to be based on the book, Flight into Fear, Captain’s account of the hijack, Sinha goes ahead and gives us a bigger picture. From bureaucratic failure leading to delayed response in Amritsar, captain’s tricks to confuse the hijackers, and explosives on board the plane, Sinha touches upon things that may serve as important lessons now. He also manages to incorporate the geo-politics involved back then. He showcases how India faced isolation from the world in the post-Kargil War and nuclear test period and how it impacted the situation during the longest hijack our country ever saw.
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To make all this ‘babu’ culture gripping and engaging, the director keeps the writing crisp and tight, laden with sarcasm and a lot of dark humour. Through conversations between the bureaucrats and what Captain Sharan does on the plane, Sinha highlights the difference between just doing a job and fulfilling your duty. Hence, when we see Mukul Mohan and Ranjan Mishra engage in banter over passing the buck between IB and RAW, and on the other hand, Captain Sharan is seen fixing the plane’s toilet, we get it who is doing the duty and who is just doing their job.
All of this is done in an effortless and seamless way by the director in a setting that seems extremely real and compelling. He shuffles between real footage of that time and dramatisation in the show easily, all of this made effortlessly possible with amazing cinematography by Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari.
IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack: Vijay Varma, Pankaj Kapur, Manoj Pahwa’s Exceptional Act with Top Tier Actors
Where do I even begin? With the ensemble of stellar actors Sinha assembled for this gripping story, all I can say is be ready to be fully immersed in every scene. Starting off, IC 814’s Captain Sharan Dev, played by Vijay Varma, is the heart of the show. Vijay effortlessly slips into the skin of a captain who is responsible and calm in a crisis. With limited space in the cockpit to do much, Vijay does everything with his facial expressions and eyes. That’s just enough to prove his mettle as an actor among this already stellar cast of stalwarts.
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Manoj Pahwa as Mukul Mohan, the negotiator from IB, is just unbelievably good. He is just the right amount of ‘babu’-like to make you not like him as a bureaucrat who just wants to pawn off his responsibility. But, when he turns negotiator, his antics with hijackers make you laugh and he is brilliant at it.
Pankaj Kapur as the former Army officer and now Minister of External Affairs presents a masterclass in impactful acting with his subtle tone. His performance as the man who refuses to abandon the passengers till the end leaves you impressed. Naseeruddin Shah as Vinay Kaul is brilliant. He presents the view of how a coalition government works every time a decision has to be made in a matter of fact manner and leaves you wanting more. His scenes with Pankaj Kapur can be touted as the best ones on the show.
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Arvind Swamy is refreshing to watch in his role as a peace-making mediator between Afghanistan’s Taliban government and India’s crisis management group. Aditya Srivastava, Kumud Mishra, Yashpal Sharma, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Dia Mirza, Amruta Puri and Sushant Singh create many memorable moments whenever they appear on screen. Patralekhha and Aditi as the helpless yet determined air-hostesses do their part sincerely and leave an impact.
Coming to the hijackers, Rajiv Thakur plays the chief, brother of captured terrorist Masood Azhar. His performance was fair, though he could have dialled up a bit on being menacing. The other hijackers also played their bits well enough to keep you hooked in every episode. The one who left an impact on me personally was Diljohn Singh who played Burger. All in all, the show’s cast is BRILLIANT and presents the best of Indian cinema.
Prinkled’s Parting Thoughts:
In short, IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack is truly one of the best shows P and I have seen this year that brings to light real events through subtle dramatisation and a stellar cast. It is a must-watch for everyone who enjoys an intense and gripping show!