IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack Inspires Several Films, Vijay Varma Stars In Latest Series
Pune, 12th August 2024: The real-life hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 on December 24, 1999, which was diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan, is the subject of several films and series. The latest is the web series “IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack,” set to release on Netflix this month, featuring actor Vijay Varma in a lead role. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the series dramatizes the seven-day hostage crisis. Before this, multiple films have explored the theme of hijackings, depicting various real-life incidents and fictionalized accounts.
The 2023 film “IB-71,” directed by Sankalp Reddy and starring Vidyut Jammwal and Anupam Kher, is based on the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Fokker-27 in 1971. The plane, known as ‘Ganga,’ was taken over by terrorists and diverted to Lahore, where it was destroyed after releasing the passengers. This film reflects the intense security situations faced during that era.
In 2003, Rohit Shetty’s directorial debut “Zameen” featured Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan, and Bipasha Basu. Although focused on the 1976 Entebbe rescue operation, it drew parallels to the IC 814 hijacking, highlighting the dramatic rescue efforts of Israeli forces.
The 2008 film “Hijack,” directed by Kunal Shivdasani and starring Shiney Ahuja and Esha Deol, is another portrayal of the IC 814 incident. It depicts terrorists hijacking a plane from Amritsar to Delhi and forcing it to land in Chandigarh.
“Neerja,” released in 2016, stars Sonam Kapoor as Neerja Bhanot, a flight attendant who sacrificed her life during the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986. This film offers a detailed look at her heroic actions.
Lastly, “Bell Bottom,” a 2021 film directed by Ranjit M Tiwari and featuring Akshay Kumar, is based on the hijackings of Air India flights in 1984. It follows a RAW agent’s mission to rescue hostages from terrorists.
These films and series offer various perspectives on hijacking incidents, highlighting different aspects of these dramatic events.
