(In light of the controversy over the Netflix series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', here is a view on the 1999 hijack and its aftermath. Click here to read Sanjay Singh's counterview.)
We need to give the poor bard a break once in a while. Shakespeare is turning, once again, for the billionth time, in his grave because a situation has arisen that his words define the best. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." Cliches done and dusted, let's go to the issue at hand. Netflix's latest thriller drama, IC 814, has engendered an asinine outrage - rarely are outrages worth the GBs spent on them these days - involving names.
Netflix India's head has been summoned by the centre because some busybodies, ignoring historical facts, have taken umbrage to the non-Muslim names of the Pakistani Muslim hijackers of the fated Air India flight number IC814.
Twenty-five years ago, the Indian government had to release Masood Azhar - now the boss of Jaish e Muhammad - along with two other terrorists in a bid to save 191 passengers and crew members. This happened after negotiating for seven days with five men of the Harkat ul Islam terror outfit, codenamed 'Chief',........