Rajiv Thakur, widely recognized from The Great Indian Kapil Show, recently surprised fans with his gripping role as Chief in the web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. His performance garnered praise from co-stars and audiences alike. In a recent interview, Rajiv revealed a personal connection to the 1999 IC 814 hijacking, which unfolded in his hometown of Amritsar while he was still in college.
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, featuring actors like Vijay Varma, is based on the harrowing events of December 24, 1999, when Indian Airlines flight IC 814 was hijacked en route from Kathmandu to Delhi. The plane was forced to land in Amritsar and remained grounded there for three tense hours.
Rajiv, a native of Amritsar, shared his firsthand experience of witnessing the real-life hijacking. He vividly recalled how his normal college day turned chaotic when the hijacked plane landed in his city. “Suddenly, we noticed a plane flying unusually low, much lower than normal. We thought it looked much bigger than a usual flight,” Rajiv shared in an interview with Mid Day.
He continued, “We went out for tea, and by the time we returned, there was chaos—people were shouting, ‘Run, run, anything can happen here!’ That day is still etched in my memory.”
Rajiv recalled seeing commandos swiftly arriving on the scene and being told that the plane had been hijacked. Within half an hour, he rushed home to inform his family about the unfolding situation, which led to initial confusion as reports suggested the flight had been taken to Pakistan.
For those unaware, Rajiv Thakur will also be making his return to The Great Indian Kapil Show, which is set to stream its second season on Netflix in September 2024. Meanwhile, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, a six-episode drama featuring Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Amrita Puri, Pooja Gor, and Manoj Pahwa, is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
Fans can now enjoy Rajiv Thakur’s versatile talent in both comedy and intense drama as he seamlessly transitions between these two worlds.