New York (2009 film)

Plot

Sometime in 2008, Omar Aijaz, a young Indian man living in the United States, is arrested by the FBI after weapons are found in the trunk of a taxi registered to him. He is interrogated by Agent Roshan, a South Asian origin officer who has lived in the U.S. for two decades. Roshan suspects Omar's involvement with Samir "Sam" Sheikh, a former college friend believed to be connected to terrorist activities. Omar, unaware of Sam’s current life, is pressured into cooperating with the FBI to spy on him.

The narrative shifts to a flashback from 1999, when Omar arrived in the U.S. to attend New York State University. There, he befriends Sam and Maya, a fellow student and counselor. The three form a close bond, though Omar secretly harbours feelings for Maya. Over time, Maya and Sam fall in love, prompting Omar to distance himself. Their lives are disrupted by the September 11 attacks.

Back to the present, Omar reconnects with Sam and Maya—now married with a son, Danyal—under the guise of rekindling old friendships, while secretly reporting to Roshan. He learns Maya is involved in civil rights activism, helping Sam's employee and former detainee Zilgai cope with trauma from his post-9/11 arrest. Initially, Omar finds no incriminating evidence against Sam, but gradually uncovers deeper layers of Sam’s past. Sam had been detained at Guantánamo Bay for nine months due to circumstantial evidence and was tortured. Though later exonerated, the experience left him emotionally scarred and radicalised.

A turning point arrives when Zilgai, unable to reintegrate into society, kills a police officer and leads the police on a long chase ultimately ending in his death by suicide; in the aftermath, Sam appears to abandon his plans for a terrorist attack. However, Omar later discovers the plan is still active. He alerts Roshan, and in the final act, Sam is persuaded to surrender. As he complies, he is shot dead by FBI snipers. Maya, rushing to stop him, is also killed in stray crossfire.

The film concludes six months later with Omar adopting Danyal. Roshan, now recognised for his service, comforts Omar, explaining that while everyone believed they were doing the right thing, timing and choices shaped their fates. The story ends with a reflection on friendship, trauma, and the long-lasting consequences of 9/11.

Cast

• John Abraham as Samir "Sam" Sheikh, Maya's husband
• Katrina Kaif as Maya Sheikh, Sam's wife
• Neil Nitin Mukesh as Omar Ajjaz
• Irrfan Khan as FBI Agent Roshan
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Zilgai
• Aidan Wagner as Danyal Sheikh
• Ali Quli Mirza as Zaheer
• Samrat Chakrabarti as Yakub

Themes

New York explores the social and political aftermath of the September 11 attacks, focusing particularly on issues of racial profiling, civil liberties, and the psychological consequences of wrongful detention. In a June 2009 interview with the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), director Kabir Khan stated that the film "is based on part of the political canvas of 9/11, but it speaks of prejudices after the great human tragedy." He added that the narrative "divides time into a pre- and post-9/11 world" to emphasise the long-term global repercussions of the attacks. Khan also noted that the film was supported by the New York Film Commission, describing it as “a very balanced story and not a jingoistic film.”

In a separate interview with IANS, actor John Abraham remarked that New York, “in its own strange way,” begins where the Pakistani film Khuda Kay Liye (2007) ends. He highlighted that both directors—Kabir Khan and Shoaib Mansoor—present different interpretations of the experience of legal detainees, based on their respective research and narrative approaches.

The film’s storyline has drawn comparisons to "The Greater Good", the twenty-first episode of the American television series Lost (2004–2010), due to thematic similarities in exploring detainment, trauma, and ideological conflict.

Production

Development

New York was directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. Khan submitted the script to U.S. authorities for approval prior to filming. He later noted that the production received clearance without objections and described the film as a balanced portrayal of post-9/11 issues.

Casting

John Abraham prepared for his role as an American Muslim of Indian origin by studying the Quran. The cast also included Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Irrfan Khan.

Filming

Principal photography began in September 2008 and lasted over 100 days. While most of the film was shot in New York City, some scenes were filmed in Philadelphia. New York was the first Hindi film to have an extended production schedule in the city. The team also shot for three days at Guantánamo Bay with official permission.

Soundtrack

(Digital) The soundtrack of New York was released in April 2009 on physical format (i.e, Music CDs and Cassettes) and on 10 June 2009 on digital format (i.e, iTunes). It was composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Sandeep Shrivastava. Julius Packiam provided the background score, while Pankaj Awasthi composed and performed the track "Aye Saaye Mere", written by Junaid Wasi. A remix of "Hai Junoon," featured separately as a standalone music video, was sung by K.K. and Monali Thakur.

Release

Festival screenings

New York was selected as the opening film for the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival, where it was screened on 10 November 2009. Director Kabir Khan attended the event and addressed the audience following the screening. The film was also shown at the Busan International Film Festival in October 2009, where Yash Chopra, founder of Yash Raj Films, received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award.

Home media

The DVD release of New York took place on 8 August 2009. The edition included approximately 2.5 hours of bonus content, including behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, and promotional material. Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama rated the DVD release four out of five stars.

Reception

Box office

New York opened to strong box office performance, grossing ₹35 million during its first three days in India with occupancy rates of 80–85%—the highest since January 2009. It topped the domestic box office in its opening week and earned ₹618.9 million worldwide, later being declared a hit. The film completed a six-week theatrical run in India with a domestic gross of ₹155.5 million.

Internationally, New York performed well in key markets including the Middle East, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was the sixth-highest grossing Hindi film of the year, with a total gross of approximately ₹577.5 million.

Critical reception

New York received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed toward its performances, screenplay, and handling of post-9/11 themes.

Subhash K. Jha described it as "an important film" that avoids stereotypical portrayals of the diaspora and explores global prejudices with sensitivity. Devansh Patel of the Hounslow Chronicle rated it five out of five, calling it "the most thought-provoking movie Yash Raj Films has ever come up with." Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India gave it four out of five, calling it "an extremely taut and highly emotive piece of political drama [...] topical, meaningful, and entertaining."

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama rated the film four out of five, highlighting the screenplay and cinematography, and calling it "one of the finest films produced by this premier production house." Joginder Tuteja of Indo-Asian News Service noted that the film "has a message and still carries enough commercial ingredients to reach out to masses as well as classes."

Comparisons were drawn to other films with similar themes, such as Arlington Road (1999) and Khuda Kay Liye (2007). Jayant of Hindustan Times considered New York the stronger film in execution and impact. NDTV called it “an A-list film that gets a straight A,” while Sakaal Times praised its balance of realism and drama. The Statesman wrote that the film “entertains and makes viewers think.”

Accolades

References

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