New York

About the film

New York is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film directed by Kabir Khan, written by Sandeep Shrivastava, and produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films. The film stars John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Irrfan Khan. Set against the backdrop of post-9/11 America, the narrative follows three friends studying at the fictional New York State University whose lives are drastically altered in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the resulting socio-political fallout.

New York marked Kabir Khan's second directorial venture with Yash Raj Films after his award-winning debut Kabul Express (2006), which also starred Abraham, and featured cinematography by Aseem Mishra and editing by Rameshwar S. Bhagat. Principal photography took place in New York City and Philadelphia, with portions shot in India. Julius Packiam composed the background score in his second collaboration with both Chopra and Kabir after Kabul Express, while the soundtrack was composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Shrivastava; one song was guest-composed and sung by Pankaj Awasthi and guest-written by Junaid Wasi.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Key details