Reflecting on post-9/11 New York in Bollywood film
By RAMA GAIND
Screening at Hoyts Belconnen is the much-awaited Indian film titled New York.
Director Kabir Khan turns the spotlight on the Big Apple and tackles a complex and sensitive dilemma in post-9/11 New York with disarming simplicity.
Without being insensitive to anyone, this political drama touches on issues of ethnic profiling and terrorism and centres on loyalty, friendship and love.
The hook is cast from the opening scene as Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) is arrested by the FBI and interrogated for his terrorist links by FBI agent Roshan (Irrfan Khan). Flashbacks aid in telling the story as Omar recounts his college friendship with the campus hero Samir (John Abraham) and Maya (Katrina Kaif) who stole his heart, but loved his friend.
The carefree college days make way for a more turbulent present as Omar is sent back into the lives of his friends as an undercover FBI agent to expose Samir’s nefarious activities.
However, Omar is unflinching in his loyalty to his friends, seeking to extricate them from the treacherous terrorist games.
Through a Bollywood lens the film reflects the tragedy of everyday life, highlighting the plight of legal detainees without prejudice. However, the plot has some colossal holes. While the subject was sombre, the film lacked a concise, dispassionate tone of integrity, with a slower pace in the second half being accompanied by predictability. By being emotionally overcharged, New York trivialised the theme, except for the melodramatic and unpredictable climax.
Screenwriter Sandeep Srivastava can, however, take responsibility for highlighting career-defining roles for the three inseparable college friends: Neil creates a winsome character, torn between his conflicting loyalties – friendship and sanity – and the pain of unrequited love; John gives a promising performance that erases his muscle and brawn image; and Katrina displays serious acting potential. Irrfan convincingly adds layers of complexity to his character.
Pritam’s musical score left a lot to be desired.
A known documentary maker who debuted in 2006 with a blemished but engrossing Kabul Express, Kabir Khan deserves credit for illuminating the plight of South Asian and Muslim men after 9/11. It’s a shame that such enlightenment was not defined more explicitly.
