Dia Mirza compares criticism for IC 814 to praise for Dhurandhar: ‘We are celebrating jingoism’

Dia Mirza recently looked back at the criticism she and the team of IC814: The Kandahar Hijack faced. The series was released in August 2024.

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar The Revenge has emerged as the film of the moment, sparking widespread chatter across audiences and industry circles alike. Amid the film’s soaring popularity, Dia Mirza has opened up about the criticism her show IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack faced, in comparison to the “chest-thumping” narrative of Dhurandhar, which is being celebrated.

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge was released on March 19.

Dia on comparisons between Dhurandhar and IC 814

Dia recently appeared on The Namrata Zakaria Show, where she looked back at the criticism she and the team of IC814: The Kandahar Hijack faced. The series revolves around the hijack of Indian Airlines Flight 814 by five armed men in 1999 when it took off from Kathmandu, Nepal, en route to New Delhi.

During the conversation, the interviewer described Dhurandhar's tone as more “chest-thumping,” while noting that IC 814 took a more restrained, nuanced approach, which was called out on social media.

To this, Dia responded, “The show was called out for humanising all the characters, including the terrorists. I guess it is because we are celebrating jingoism too much now. We adore it. There is a trend to enjoy and celebrate jingoism, which our show is not. I don’t regret it. It has such a balanced view and gives people the opportunity to see each side the way it was."

After this, Dia emphasised the importance of actors using their voices and speaking up when it truly matters.

The actor noted, “I think it is very important to be vocal as artistes. I am a big Shabana Azmi bhakt, and I follow her message that if art is not utilised to improve the lives of others, then what is the point of art? So yes, I am political, and I have a stand. And yes, I will convey that through the choices I make in the stories I tell. It is not easy. We are trolled regularly. Beyond that, there is all kinds of intimidation because if you are not toeing the line and not in agreement with what larger forces expect, then it is not easy."

About Dhurandhar 2

Dhurandhar 2 is a sequel to the spy-action thriller Dhurandhar, which was released in theatres in December 2025 and grossed over ₹1300 crore worldwide. The film franchise follows an undercover Indian intelligence agent, played by Ranveer Singh, who infiltrates Karachi's criminal syndicates and political power structures in Pakistan in an effort to dismantle a terror network targeting India. The movie also features Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi.

While the film has largely received positive feedback, it has also ignited a debate, with several viewers labelling it a propaganda vehicle.

About IC-814 The Kandahar Hijack

Anubhav Sinha's IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is based on the real-life events of 1999 when Indian Airlines flight IC 814 was hijacked by five men after it took off from Kathmandu. The flight first landed in Amritsar, then in Lahore, and then in Dubai, where 27 passengers were freed in exchange for fuel. The plane was then taken to Kandahar, and the standoff lasted for a week.

Apart from Dia, the Netflix series also features Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Arvind Swamy, Manoj Pahwa, Patralekha Paul, Kumud Mishra, Aditya Srivastava, Amrita Puri, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Pooja Gor, Kanwaljit Singh, Yashpal Sharma, Sushant Singh, and Rajiv Thakur. The series was released in August 2024.

Incidentally, Dhurandhar also begins with a retelling of the Kandahar hijack.