IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack Review: True Event, Unfulfilled Expectations
- Movie Name: IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack
- Release Date: August 29, 2024
- Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Arvind Swamy, Vijay Varma, Aditya Srivastava
- Director: Anubhav Sinha
- Producers: Sarita Patil, Sanjay Routray
- Banner: Matchbox Shots
Plot Summary: On December 24, 1999, an Indian Airlines flight departs from Kathmandu to Delhi with 176 passengers on board. Shortly after takeoff, the flight is hijacked.
This real-life event was documented in the book Flight into Fear by Captain Dev Saran and Srijan Chaudhary. The Netflix web series IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack is based on this incident.
The story begins in Kathmandu and ends in Kandahar a week later, covering the events during that critical week.
The series, which is spread across six episodes, started streaming on August 29.
The flight IC 814, piloted by Captain Dev Saran (played by Vijay Varma), with Arun Kumar as the co-pilot, and Indrani and Chhaya as the air hostesses, takes off from Kathmandu.
Soon after, the hijackers brandish guns and threaten to kill passengers if the flight is not diverted to Kabul. However, due to low fuel, Captain Saran informs them that reaching Kabul is impossible, prompting the hijackers to demand a landing in Amritsar to refuel.
The passengers are terrified, and to assert control, the hijackers severely injure two of them.
The news of the hijacking reaches Indian government agencies, including the Ministry of External Affairs, IB, and RAW. Concern rises when it’s revealed that a VIP is on board, leading officials to decide that this information must not be leaked.
The authorities learn that there are five hijackers on the flight. As the plane lands in Amritsar to refuel, commandos are prepared to surround the plane, but the hijackers, sensing the trap, order a takeoff without refueling.
This unexpected move leaves government officials and security personnel in confusion.
The flight continues to circle in the air, and when the hijackers demand refueling in Dubai, Dev Saran complies.
However, the Dubai authorities, aware that it’s a hijacked plane, state that they will only provide fuel if the women and children are released.
The series then explores how the hijackers react, their demands, and the reasons behind the hijacking.
Critical Analysis: The series attempts to recreate the terror of the real-life incident where passengers and crew were trapped with terrorists for a week.
While it uses original footage at times to enhance realism, the portrayal of the passengers’ fear and anxiety fails to evoke the same tension in the audience.
The suspense of the flight running out of fuel and the pressure on the captain doesn’t reach the expected levels of intensity.
Out of the five hijackers, only one or two are given significant focus, leaving the others underdeveloped. The portrayal of the hijackers being friendly with the air hostesses, singing songs with passengers, and asking the pilot for cigarettes comes across as unrealistic.
Moreover, the already controversial depiction of the hijackers’ names adds to the series’ issues.
The response of government officials and their lack of visible urgency and anxiety also feels understated.
Additionally, the visuals of relatives expressing concern at the airport are not impactful enough. An unnecessary scene where an air hostess cleans a toilet is also included, which could have been avoided even if it was based on true events.
The cinematography and background music are commendable, and the editing is decent. The script stays true to the real-life incident, but the slow pace and lack of action diminish the overall impact.
The series ends up feeling average due to these shortcomings.
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