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Bollywood in scramble for hijack movie

NEW DELHI: The Indian Airlines hijacking has triggered a scramble in India's film world to be first with a movie on the week-long drama which spanned five countries and cost a newly married man his life.

"So intense is the rush among producers that as many as three titles have already been registered on this saga," The Times of India said on Wednesday.

The daily said that among veterans and newcomers racing to be first, some were already close to finalising their scripts.

Indian Airlines flight IC-814 was comandeered on Christmas Eve during a run from Nepal to New Delhi. It touched down briefly in India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates before landing at Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

"The hijacking provides an extremely thrilling background for a film," The Times of India quoted film financier Bharat Shah as saying. "At the same time, only the ones who will be able to release their films at the first instance will reap the profits."-Reuters