Entertainment | Film & Cinema
Fighting prejudice
A film that looks at how the lives of three friends in New York change after the 9/11 attacks.
- By Abdulla Mahmood
- Published: 22:47 June 24, 2009
- Image Credit:
A film that looks at how the lives of three friends in New York change after the 9/11 attacks.
New york
Cast: John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Irrfan Khan, Katrina Kaif
Director: Kabir Khan
Rating: TBA
Yashraj Films had a mixed bag last year with the star-studded Tashan and Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic both failing at the box office, while their youthful Bachna Ae Haseeno and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi kept the production house in the reckoning. Yashraj Films kicks off this year with Kabir Khan's New York.
The storyline
Omar (Mukesh) is from Delhi and gets a chance to study at the New York University after getting a scholarship. There Omar befriends Samir (Abraham) and Maya (Kaif) and starts to enjoy his stint in the US. All's fine in their world until the 9/11 tragedy strikes, changing their lives forever. FBI agent Roshan (Khan) holds the interrogation into the event. New York is the story of three friends dealing with the world after an event that changed perception in the world and redefined the meaning of terrorism.
Director with a mission
Khan broke Yashraj Films' trend of making candy floss romantic flicks by directing the gritty Kabul Express in 2006. Khan continues his tryst with the subject of terrorism in New York. "I wanted to capture the repercussions of the Twin Tower attacks, which took a toll on humanity. The aftermath is still witnessed all over the world," he claims.
Great rapport
Also starring in Kabul Express, this is Abraham's second outing with Khan. "When he (Khan) narrated the story of New York I was excited to work in the film as I could identify with Samir's character and the subject instantly," says Abraham. This is the first time he's paired with Kaif and Mukesh. "There's definitely a certain level of comfort working with Kabir but it took a while to get acquainted with Katrina and Neil. I think once we got to know each other it was fun and our rapport shows on-screen," he adds.
Turning point
New York may well be a turning a point in Kaif's career as her role demands her to be more than just a glam doll. "Honestly speaking, when I was offered New York I wasn't ready to take on such a role. But the producer Aditya Chopra convinced me that I was perfect for the role of Maya. So, after a lot of hesitation I agreed to do it. Now I'm glad I did it as I have learnt a lot from Khan and have discovered a new side to myself," admits Kaif.
Star-in-the-making
New York has big names like Abraham and Kaif but that doesn't mean Mukesh will be relegated to the backseat as he plays a crucial part.
Like Kaif, this is also Mukesh's first film with Yashraj Films, although he worked on Yash Chopra's (Aditya's father) Vijay as a child star. "I was actually supposed to be launched by Yashraj Films but I wanted to prove my mettle and took on Johnny Gaddaar and Aa Dekhen Zara. I'm glad I did these films as it has given me the confidence to take up the challenging role in New York. I think Khan has made a fantastic contemporary film," he adds.
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