When it comes to sensitive issues such as national security, filmmakers often resort to a Jingoistic tone. Dramatic speeches, theatrical dialogues, Mawkish music and factically incorrect representations that support history. Fortunately, that is not the case of Netflix’s last original series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hankack, which brings a refreshingly dispassionate approach to the genre.
The program takes us back to December 1999, when five terrorists took over the control of an Indian Airlines flight, on the way from Katmandú to Delhi, for a period of eight days. Since then, the incident has become the history of India as a chilling reminder for the lack of government preparation, the numerous bureaucratic failures and the painfully long negotiations with terrorists who finally led to the release of hostages; The Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Srivastava count puts everything exposed.
During the six episodes, we are witnessing chaos and the devastation that took place, both aboard the plane and on the ground, while the crisis pushed the nation to the edge. From the beginning of the kidnapping plan to its monstrous results, the series firmly establishes the order of the events in a exciting way. All episodes are clear and very smiling and do not waste time beating around the mountain. There are no unnecessary tropes or subtramas in which commercial cinema is often based largely.
IC 814: Kandahar’s kidnapping review: perfectly balanced
Patralekha plays the role of one of the two hostesses aboard the kidnapped flight IC 814
While films and programs based on real events often represent the risk of information overload that leaves the audience confused and exploited, or excessive simplification that reduces the nuances of history to a Wikipedia page, Sinha has A good job of achieving a balance between the two with intelligent rhythm voice to provide context. The show is not boring, as a significant part of historical documentaries tend to be, nor follows the version of the utopian policy of Bollywood, where politicians and judges distributed sentimental speeches as moral lessons for criminals.
Although we have a lot of information about terrorists, foreign relations and geopolitical confrontations, the general tone never becomes academic. The uniformly placed voice voices give a clear context of what is happening and why, without overwhelming the audience. They help form a kind of dialogue between the manufacturers of the miniseries and the spectators. While a similar approach was attempted in loving Singh Chamkila of Imtiaz Ali, it did not work at all, at least not for me. Fortunately, the defective fragmentation of the biographical film is not seen in IC 814: Kandahar’s kidnapping.
The original Netflix also remains distrustful of the mono-chrome representation of political tones. We see that the crisis management group taking convenient tea breaks as the life of many hangs in the air, and the same group puts their neck on the line to save the day. He will listen to them to help “our people”, and also see them complain about “too much democracy” in the country. They are not painted with a singular brush.
The show is faithful to the book of Captain Devi Sharan, the Malfatado Pilot Flight 814 of Indian Airlines, and incorporates true file achievements, offering a reevaluation of the tragedy incidents. We see the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee condemning the kidnapping, crying to the families that protest at the airports and news presenters that report the lack of idea of officials.
While in Kandahar, the real engine of IC 814 remained continuously to protect all from the cold winter nights of Afghanistan
Recreated scenes are remarkably precise and severely similar to the original images, thanks to the meticulous attention to detail with careful positioning, chamber angles and even gestures. There are images of Jaswant Singh, the then Foreign Minister of Affairs, talking about the kidnapping of the media, immediately followed by that of Pankaj Kapur, rehearsing the same role, with the name of Singh changed, the recreated version. Recreation is more than impressive with the convincing diction of Kapur that adds to the general excellence of the scene. However, Sinha and Shrivastava have made some changes by exchanging the real names of officials and passengers, probably protecting their privacy and avoiding conflicts.
IC 814: Kandahar’s kidnapping review: nuanced representation
Naseeruddin Shah and Arvind Swamy play the Secretary of the Indian Cabinet and RAW Joint Secretary, respectively, in the program
The series also subverts the usual tropes seen in similar adaptations of film and television. In the middle of the program, there is a scene in which we see a terrorist playing Antakshari With a group of passengers. In another, we see one offering a light to the captain and comforting a vomiting air host. The representation of terrorists is not a note and is surprisingly nuanced, exploring how humans could behave in adverse and unusual circumstances.
The show also stands out for shedding a light on despair and despair of the situation. More than 180 passengers and crew were limited to the plane for seven days, fearing for their lives and clinging to hope in vile conditions. In a particularly disturbing scene, we see a helpless flight attendant to clean a dirty and overflowing toilet when there is no place on the plane so that anyone can relieve. The scene is one of the most shocking sequences of the program and it is likely that the disturbing images will stay with the spectators long after the credits are.
IC 814: The Kandahar hijack review: technical failures
To prepare for paper, Vijay Verma spent some time with Captain Devi Sharan and visited a pilot training institute
Despite an excellent recreation of the period and an attractive story, IC 814 is significantly delayed in the visual front. While I could still understand the general dark tone of the series and excuse it for the creative choice taking into account the themes, some of the scenes are impossible to see, particularly those found by the bureaucrats. Incorrect lighting and poor quality editions make the scenes like a dream sequence of a daltonic person, with a ghostly halo effect that looms on the figures.
The color rating in these scenes is so distracted that it almost interferes and compromises the seriousness of the story. While high -profile officials are discussing the fate of the nation for the coming years and demand undivided attention, I could not avoid distracting me with the dark anaranal orange circles of Naseeruddin Shah. The images of the program would have gone well without these bluish tones and dominated by orange.
Another front where the technical deficiencies committed the quality of the scene was the filming of the turbulent IC 814 suspended in the sky. The whole frame is excessively unstable, remembering one of the vintage films where a crew member is possibly shaking cardboard painted from the sky in front of a great camera lens. While I understand that manufacturers intended to get an emergency feeling, but a better visual effects work could have easily done the trick.
This is especially disappointing since Sinha has done a brilliant job with a design and accessories. We see Maruti Suzukis, vintage radios, classic briefcases and even fashion trends of the 90s.
IC 814: Kandahar’s kidnapping is a convincing show that doubles the genre, backed by thorough investigation and precise recreations of the tragedy
Apart from some technical deficiencies, IC 814: Kandahar’s sullen is an exceptional show and genres flexion that has established a new ribbon for historical adaptations. From its impeccable set designs to notable recreations, the original Netflix successfully captures the essence of that time and transmits horror beyond screens. Sinha’s exhaustive research is evident in each scene and manages to transmit the seriousness of the crisis, without overwhelming viewers with too much information.
IC 814: Kandahar’s Hankack raises crucial questions about national security, public safety and bureaucratic deficiencies, which serves as a moving reminder of the enormous cost that a nation can have to pay even with the slightest negligence. Create a feeling of urgency, without pointing to anyone. The real question, however, is whether we are prepared to combat something like this now. Is Kandahar’s tragedy a lesson, learned, or a dark chapter recorded in history? While there have been no other kidnappings of airplanes in India since IC 814, Sinha’s show is a timely reminder to identify and combat systemic weaknesses.
Qualification: 8/10
All the episodes of IC 814: Kandahar’s hooch is now being transmitted in Netflix
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