New York (2009 film)

Indian Hindi film directed by Kabir Khan

New York's

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Kabir Khan
Written by| Sandeep Shrivastava
Story by| Aditya Chopra
Produced by| Aditya Chopra
Starring| John Abraham
Neil Nitin Mukesh
Katrina Kaif
Irrfan Khan
Cinematography| Aseem Mishra
Edited by| Rameshwar S. Bhagat
Music by| Songs:
Pritam
Score:
Julius Packiam

Production
company

Yash Raj Films

Distributed by| Yash Raj Films

Release date

* 26 June 2009 (2009-06-26)

Running time

| 151 minutes
Country| India
Languages| Hindi
English
Box office| ₹74.63 crores[1]

New York is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language thriller film directed by Kabir Khan and written by Sandeep Shrivastava from a story by producer Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner.[2] The film stars John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Katrina Kaif, 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.

Released theatrically on 26 June 2009, New York received largely positive reviews from critics, who praised its direction, screenplay, and the performances of the principal cast—particularly those of Abraham, Mukesh, and Kaif. The film emerged as a commercial success and ranked as the sixth-highest grossing Hindi film of the year.

At the 55th Filmfare Awards, New York received two nominations: Best Actress (Kaif) and Best Supporting Actor (Mukesh).

## Plot

[edit]

Sometime in 2008, Omar Aijaz, a young Indian Muslim 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 Muslim 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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

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.”[3]

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.[3]

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.[4]

## Production

[edit]

### Development

[edit]

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

[edit]

John Abraham prepared for his role as an American Muslim of Indian origin by studying the Quran.[5] The cast also included Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Irrfan Khan.

### Filming

[edit]

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.[6][7] 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.[8]

## Soundtrack

[edit]

New York

Soundtrack album by

Pritam Chakraborty

Released| 10 June 2009 (2009-06-10)
Genre| Film soundtrack
Length| 42:12
Label| YRF Music
Producer| Pritam
Pritam Chakraborty chronology
| Ek: The Power of One
(2009)  | New York
(2009)  | Love Aaj Kal
(2009)

|
|

The soundtrack of New York was released on 10 June 2009. 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.

New York (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)No.| Title| Lyrics| Music| Singer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|
|

1.| "Hai Junoon"| Sandeep Shrivastava| Pritam| K.K.| 5:31
2.| "Mere Sang"| Sandeep Shrivastava| Pritam| Sunidhi Chauhan| 6:28
3.| "Tune Jo Na Kaha"| Sandeep Shrivastava| Pritam| Mohit Chauhan| 5:10
4.| "Aye Saaye Mere"| Junaid Wasi| Pankaj Awasthi| Pankaj Awasthi| 5:45
5.| "Hai Junoon" (Remix by Julius Packiam)| Sandeep Shrivastava| Pritam| K.K.| 6:09
6.| "Mere Sang" (Remix by Julius Packiam)| Sandeep Shrivastava| Pritam| Sunidhi Chauhan| 5:55
7.| "Sam's Theme"| Caralisa Monteiro| Julius Packiam| Caralisa Monteiro| 4:05
8.| "New York Theme"| Instrumental| Julius Packiam| Instrumental| 3:09
Total length:| 42:12

## Release

[edit]

### Festival screenings

[edit]

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.[9][10] 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.[11][12]

### Home media

[edit]

The DVD release of New York took place on 8 August 2009.[13] 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.[14]

## Reception

[edit]

### Box office

[edit]

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.[15] It topped the domestic box office in its opening week and earned ₹618.9 million worldwide, later being declared a hit.[16][17] The film completed a six-week theatrical run in India with a domestic gross of ₹155.5 million.[18]

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.[19]

### Critical reception

[edit]

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.[20] 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."[21][22] 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."[23]

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."[24] 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."[25]

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.[26] NDTV called it “an A-list film that gets a straight A,” while Sakaal Times praised its balance of realism and drama.[27][28] The Statesman wrote that the film “entertains and makes viewers think.”[29]

## Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date of the ceremony  | Category  | Recipients  | Result  | Ref

|
|
|
|
|

Cairo International Film Festival | 10–20 November 2009 | Golden Pyramid Award | New York | Nominated  | [30]
V. Shantaram Awards  | 21 December 2009  | Best Film  | Nominated  | [31]
Best Director  | Kabir Khan | Nominated
Best Actor  | John Abraham | Nominated
Best Supporting Actor | Irrfan Khan | Won
Best Story & Screenplay  | Aditya Chopra | Won
Producers Guild Film Awards | 8 January 2010  | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Irrfan Khan  | Nominated  | [32]
Best Sound Recording  | Anuj Mathur  | Won
Screen Awards | 10 January 2010  | Best Actor (Popular Choice) | John Abraham  | Nominated  | [33]
Best Actress | Katrina Kaif | Nominated
Best Actress (Popular Choice) | Nominated
Stardust Awards | 17 January 2010  | Best Film – Thriller or Action | New York | Nominated  | [34]
Actor of the Year – Female | Katrina Kaif (also for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani) | Nominated
Best Actress (Popular)  | Nominated
Superstar of Tomorrow – Male | Neil Nitin Mukesh | Nominated
Filmfare Awards | 27 February 2010 | Best Actress | Katrina Kaif  | Nominated  | [35]
Best Supporting Actor | Neil Nitin Mukesh  | Nominated
IIFA Awards | 3–5 June 2010 | Best Supporting Actor | Irrfan Khan  | Nominated  | [36]

## See also

[edit]

* List of cultural references to the September 11 attacks

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "New York Box Office Collection | India | Day Wise | Box Office - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. 26 June 2009. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
2. ^ "Tata Elxsi creates visual effects for Yash Raj's latest offering 'New York' (Press Release)". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
3. ^ a b Bansal, Robin (13 June 2009). "New York' is on post-9/11 prejudices: Kabir Khan". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 12 December 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
4. ^ IANS (24 June 2009). "'New York' begins where 'Khuda Kay Liye' ends: John Abraham". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
5. ^ IANS (18 June 2009). "John Abraham studied Quran for 'New York' role". yahoo.com. Retrieved 29 June 2009.[permanent dead link]
6. ^ IANS (22 June 2009). "New York' on 9/11 repercussions to break dry spell (IANS Preview)". Sify. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
7. ^ "Yash Raj Films' New York is being shot in Philadelphia". Bollywood Hungama. 13 October 2008. Archived from the original on 16 October 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
8. ^ IANS (19 June 2009). "Kabir Khan gets 'script' searched". DNA. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
9. ^ Khan, Kabir (13 December 2009). "Identity Proof". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
10. ^ Joshi, Namrata (7 December 2009). "Al Hind: A Relook". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 5 December 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
11. ^ "Yash Chopra honored at Busan International Film Festival". Business of Cinema. 14 October 2009. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
12. ^ "Look who's headed to Cairo". Times of India. 14 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 November 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
13. ^ "Amazon: New York DVD". Amazon. 8 August 2009. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
14. ^ Tuteja, Joginder (20 August 2009). "Bollywood Hungama: DVD review". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
15. ^ AFP (29 June 2009). "Bollywood Boosted By Blockbuster Weekend For "New York"". NASDAQ. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
16. ^ "Weekend Bollywood Box Office: 26 June – 2 July 2009 Week". Yahoo! India Movies. 7 July 2009. Archived from the original on 7 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
17. ^ "'New York' and grand collections". boxofficeindia.com. 4 July 2009. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
18. ^ "Bollywood Hungama:Box Office for New York". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
19. ^ Tuteja, Joginder (1 July 2009). "New York's super-success has surprised me" – Kabir Khan". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
20. ^ Jha, Subhash (27 June 2008). "New York, a remarkable effort". Times of India. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
21. ^ "Devansh Patel Biography". Hounslow Chronicle. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
22. ^ Patel, Devansh (26 June 2009). "NEW YORK film review – 5 stars. The film carries an emotional impact and seeds a bed of uplifting pride for the people of America". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
23. ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (26 June 2009). "Times of India Review: New York". Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
24. ^ Adarsh, Taran (26 June 2009). "Bollywood Hungama Review: New York". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
25. ^ Tuteja, Joginder (26 June 2009). "'New York' a brilliant film and a must watch". IANS. Retrieved 26 June 2009. [dead link]
26. ^ Shekhar, Mayank (27 June 2009). "For sure, NY see!". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2009.
27. ^ Shekhar, Mayank (26 June 2009). "NDTV Review: New York". NDTV. Archived from the original on 28 June 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
28. ^ Iyer, Sandhya (27 June 2009). "A marriage between fact and fiction". Sakaal Times.
29. ^ Paul, Mathures (27 June 2009). "Nurturing Relationships". The Statesman. Retrieved 26 June 2009. [dead link]
30. ^ "Awards – Cairo International Film Festival". Retrieved 28 May 2025.
31. ^ "List of Awards won by New York Movie - Yash Raj Films". www.yashrajfilms.com. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
32. ^ "Nominations for 5th Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 20 January 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
33. ^ "Star Screen Awards 2010". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
34. ^ Tiwari, Prathna (21 January 2010). "Max Stardust Award 2010". BollySpice.com - The latest movies, interviews in Bollywood. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
35. ^ "55th Idea Filmfare Awards Nominations". Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
36. ^ Team, Koimoi com (11 May 2010). "3 Idiots, Paa and Dev D: The IIFA 2010 Nominations". Koimoi. Retrieved 28 May 2025.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Bansal, Robin. "I was myself in New York: Katrina Archived 25 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine," Times of India, 21 June 2009.
* Jamkhandikar, Shilpa. "Just A Minute With: John Abraham on 'New York'." Reuters, 20 June 2009.
* Jha, Subhash K. "How did Kabir Khan marry Mini Mathur? Archived 23 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine," Times of India, 6 July 2009.
* Khan, Kabir. "Identity Proof. Archived 25 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine" Indian Express, 13 December 2009.
* Parab, Kanika. "Bollywood Revisits 9–11 Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine." Huffington Post, 29 June 2009.
* Patel, Devansh. ""New York is about America's attitude before and after 9/11" – Irrfan Khan," Bollywood Hungama, 18 June 2009.
* Press Trust of India. "Neil's "reality check" in New York before film's shoot Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine," Deccan Herald, 20 June 2009.
* Syed, Aijaz Zaka. "New York, the Untold Story Archived 21 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine." Khaleej Times, 29 July 2009.
* Zaman, Rana Siddiqui. "True Tales: Kabir Khan says “New York” tells the 9/11 story the media missed[usurped]." The Hindu, 29 June 2009.

## External links

[edit]

* New York at IMDb
* New York at Rotten Tomatoes
* New York at Letterboxd
* New York at Box Office Mojo

* v
* t
* e

Kabir Khan

Films|

* Kabul Express (2006)
* New York (2009)
* Ek Tha Tiger (2012)
* Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015)
* Phantom (2015)
* Tubelight (2017)
* 83 (2021)
* Chandu Champion (2024)

Web Series|

* Roar of the Lion (2019)
* The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye (2020)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

Portals:

* New York
* Philadelphia
* Film
* United States
* 2000s

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