Kangana Ranaut Criticises OTT Content Regulation Amid IC 814 Row; Calls It Demotivating and Unjust

The release of Netflix's new series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has sparked significant controversy due to its portrayal and identity of the hijackers of the 1999 hijacking of an Indian aircraft. Now, Kangana Ranaut expresses her displeasure over content regulation on OTT platforms.

Hyderabad: The recent release of Netflix's IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has ignited a considerable stir over the identity of the hijackers. Adding to the controversy, Bollywood actor and politician Kangana Ranaut has publicly criticised the lack of content regulation on OTT platforms. In her social media post, Ranaut argued that such platforms allow extreme violence and distortions of historical events, while nationalist viewpoints are often censored.

Law of the land is that one can show unimaginable amount of violence and nudity on OTT platforms without any consequence or censorship, one can even distort real life events to suit their politically motivated sinister motives, there is all the freedom for communists or leftists… https://t.co/BRRrG6NGXh

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 2, 2024

Taking to X, the Queen actor expressed her frustration with what she perceives as unjust restrictions on content that reflects national integrity. Responding to an X post, she wrote: "Law of the land is that one can show unimaginable amount of violence and nudity on OTT platforms without any consequence or censorship; one can even distort real-life events to suit their politically motivated sinister motives. There is all the freedom for communists or leftists across the world for such anti-national expressions, but as a nationalist no OTT platform allows us to make films that revolve around the integrity and unity of Bharat (sic)."

Ranaut's reaction comes at a time when she is awaiting the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certification for her highly-awaited film Emergency. Earlier, the actor disclosed that the film had been cleared by the CBFC, however, its certification is currently on hold. The delay in certification has even led to the postponement of the film, which was earlier slated for release on September 6, 2024.

Coming back to Vijay Varma's controversial series IC 814, it depicts the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight and has been called out for altering the names of the terrorists involved. Instead of using the real names: Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir, the series uses fake names such as Shankar and Bhola, sparking accusations of deliberate distortion.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has responded by summoning Netflix India's Head of Content to explain the changes made to the portrayal. This government intervention follows significant backlash on social media, where users have voiced concerns about the accuracy and intent behind these alterations. The series began streaming on August 29.

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