How has Hindi cinema told the story of the 1999 Kandahar Hijack over the years? Zameen (2003) fictionalised the incidents, while Hijack (2008) takes some parts from the real incident and deviates into treating it like a rescue thriller. In that sense, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is a facts-backed retelling of the seven days that unleashed terror in the lives of the 200 passengers onboard the flight and the Indian government’s attempts to single out a deal with the hijackers.
The show is based on a book, co-written by Captain Devi Sharan, the plane’s head pilot. Having an element of truth, however, is not enough for a fulfilling experience. Ultimately, the show doesn’t rise up to become anything more than just the recounting of the incident and presenting it in a convenient, hyper-cinematic way.
It begins with a standard documentary-style baritone voiceover that plays with some stock footage, explaining the context behind the whole incident. It feels like a lost opportunity to create drama and tension as the story of the hijack is presented in a journalistic manner rather than building the excitement through storytelling.
So, it doesn’t matter much when we are introduced to Captain Sharan Dev (Vijay Varma), air hostesses Indrani (Patralekhaa Paul) and Chhaya (Additi Gupta Chopra). Their personal story is briefly put forward so as to create a sense of relatability, but it doesn’t lead to a strong emotional connect with them. This lack of flair in introducing the protagonists translates even to the hijackers.
They don’t carry the menace needed for the job they are handling. The interplay of colours and sleek cinematography doesn’t quite combine with an emotional release as the writing lacks the motivation to explore its characters wholeheartedly. It feels that the writers are content with sticking to the ‘what’ of the story rather than the ‘how’.
With the show, Anubhav gets a breather from making political films. Although there is some serious world politics at play, he presents it each time through a simplistic narration. There is also an undercooked effort to look at the worldview of the hijackers. It feels more awkward than evocative to see passing references made about complex geopolitical conflicts and the trauma it leaves on people. It would have further helped the narrative to look at the ‘other’ with an eye of understanding.
Having done films like Dus (2005) and Cash (2007), Anubhav Sinha is not new to directing multi-starrers. A lot has changed since, in terms of the sensibilities of the filmmaker and how he seems to have known what he really wants to make, which was seen in his films since 2018. It’s a new leap here, as he creates a largely engaging experience by showing nearly all that transpired during the dreadful hijack. Yet, something seems amiss.
Series: IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Cast: Vijay Varma, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Arvind Swami, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Kumud Mishra, Dia Mirza
Streamer: Netflix
Rating : 2.5/5