Anubhav Sinha is set to make his streaming debut with the highly anticipated series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’, premiering on Netflix India on August 29. This thriller is based on the real-life 1999 hijacking of an Indian aircraft by Pakistani militants. The series boasts an impressive ensemble cast, with Vijay Varma leading the charge as the pilot. Known for his impactful dramas such as Mulk and Thappad, Sinha’s entry into the streaming world is generating significant buzz.
Teaser Reveals Tense Hijack Situation
The teaser for ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ begins with Indian passengers boarding a flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi. Vijay Varma, portraying the pilot Sharan Dev, calmly instructs passengers to relax before five masked militants seize control of the aircraft. The scene intensifies as the hijackers assault the crew and threaten the passengers, revealing that this is more than just a hijack—it’s a crisis with national implications. The series also features Pankaj Kapur, Dia Mirza, Manoj Pahwa, and Naseeruddin Shah, who play Indian government officials responding to the threat.
The True Story Behind the Series
The real-life hijacking of Indian aircraft IC 814 in 1999 involved five Pakistani militants from the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), who commandeered the flight from Nepal to New Delhi and redirected it to Kandahar, then under Taliban control. This event, which altered India’s approach to terrorism, will be explored in-depth in the series. Notably, Vishal Bhardwaj had initially planned a series on the hijack but shelved the project following controversy surrounding the 2021 Prime Video India series ‘Tandav’.
