Rajiv Thakur, acclaimed for his performance in the Netflix web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, addressed the surrounding controversy, stating that he is not well-versed in the details.

The Netflix web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack was released on August 29, and among its standout cast members is comedian Rajiv Thakur. His unexpected role as a terrorist has garnered widespread praise for its striking depth and nuance, showcasing his impressive range beyond comedy. In a recent interview, he addressed the film’s surrounding controversy, stating, “I don’t have much knowledge about the controversy.” He also admitted that he didn’t get much time to prepare for his role.

In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Rajiv Thakur addressed the controversies linked to IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. He admitted to being unfamiliar with the details of the controversy. The series has been criticized for allegedly misrepresenting the hijackers’ real identities. Specifically, the choice to use the names Bhola and Shankar for two of the terrorists, rather than their actual names, and to refer to the remaining three as Chief, Doctor, and Burger, has drawn significant backlash.

In the same interview, Rajiv Thakur revealed that his preparation for the role was limited due to time constraints. He admitted that, given the show’s significance, he should have invested more effort into preparing. Unlike his co-stars who had read extensively about their characters, Thakur depended on insights from Anubhav Sinha, the associate director, and the writers to grasp his role. He noted that his character primarily interacted with Vijay Varma’s character and the one referred to as Doctor.

Rajiv Thakur portrayed the Chief, the orchestrator of the 1999 hijacking, and has since received commendable feedback from his friends and fans. He observed that outstanding performances are often recognized and shared that he’s been inundated with messages from friends and Instagram followers praising his role. “When someone does good work, it can’t be buried. I’ve got such good reactions for my role. My friends and Insta followers are sending me messages. Some said I was unrecognisable,” he said.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack reimagines the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814. On December 24, the flight, which was traveling from Kathmandu to Delhi, was seized by hijackers and diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where it remained until December 31. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the six-episode miniseries is inspired by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury’s book Flight into Fear: A Captain’s Story. The series boasts a distinguished cast, including Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Arvind Swamy, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Dia Mirza, Amrita Puri, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Aditya Srivastava, Kanwaljit Singh, and Patralekhaa.