Netflix's Brush With Controversy Is Not New: Shows, Movies That Led To Boycott Calls Before IC814

Vijay Varma’s latest Netflix series has sparked a controversy. It portrays the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by terrorists that led to accusations of offending sentiments and whitewashing terrorism. As a result, the Indian government has summoned Netflix India’s Content Head. However, this isn’t the first time Netflix India has faced backlash for alleged controversial content.

Sacred Games (2018-2019)

This Indian Netflix original series became one of the most controversial as it faced many court cases. Sacred Games has two seasons with eight episodes each. The first season debuted on Netflix on July 5, 2018, and the second season followed on August 15, 2019.

The first season faced legal challenges due to dialogues referencing to former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, while the second season encountered further legal issues. After the release of season two, a BJP leader filed a complaint against director Anurag Kashyap, alleging that the series hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community. Additionally, several political leaders expressed their objections on social media to a scene involving Saif Ali Khan's character Sartaj, which they felt offended Hindu sentiments. Later, reports indicated that Netflix resolved all the cases through internal changes.

Wild Wild Country (2018)

This Netflix documentary series focuses on the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho), his former personal assistant Ma Anand Sheela, and their followers in the Rajneeshpuram community in Wasco County, Oregon, US.

After the series was released, Osho International sued Netflix while claiming the film used its materials without permission, describing it as a repackaging of content taken from other authors and filmmakers. They also accused Netflix of copyright infringement for using Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh’s work without authorisation. However, the organisation dropped all charges in 2020.

Hasmukh (2020)

Hasmukh is a dark comedy-drama created by real-life standup comic Vir Das and Nikkhil Advani and co-produced by Applause Entertainment and Emmay Entertainment for Netflix. Vir is known for his politically charged stand-ups and his controversial approach to this series was also evident.

Following the series premiere, a lawyer filed a suit seeking to prevent Netflix from airing Hasmukh, alleging it defamed the legal profession. However, the Delhi High Court later refused to impose an interim ban on the show's streaming.

Leila (2019)

Released on June 14, 2019, Deepa Mehta’s Leila is centred on Huma Qureshi’s character Shalini, a Hindu woman who faced punishment in a labour camp for marrying a Muslim man. 

The series depicted her quest to find her missing daughter. Several political parties called for the show's ban, and many people criticised the OTT platform on social media for airing content perceived as anti-Hindu.

Annapoorani (2023)

Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food is a Tamil film on Netflix about a young woman from a traditional Hindu family aspiring to be a chef. The movie came under controversy, leading to an FIR for allegedly offending religious sentiments and promoting love jihad. 

Ramesh Solanki, founder of the Hindu IT Cell, lodged complaints against the cast, director, and producers. Following legal challenges, Netflix took the film down from its platform. It is still not available for streaming on Netflix.

Maharaj (2024)

The 2024 Netflix film Maharaj faced a legal challenge from the Gujarat High Court before its release. Members of the Vaishnavite Pushtimargi sect filed a petition, arguing that the film defamed their community and might provoke violence against them. 

After reviewing the film, the Gujarat High Court lifted the stay, finding no merit in the petitioners' claims. The court noted that the film did not target the Vaishnav Pushtimarg sect as alleged.

IC814: The Kandahar Hickjack(2024)

IC814: The Kandahar Hijack, directed by Anubhav Sinha, premiered on Netflix on August 29. Shortly after its release, controversy arose as social media users accused the filmmakers of misrepresenting the hijacking events and offending public sentiments. 

This backlash prompted the Indian government to call in the head of content at Netflix India.