Movie Review - New York - (Hindi, 2009)

Director: Kabir Khan

Cast: John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Katrina Kaif, Irrfan Khan

A little bit here, a little bit there. This is the phrase which comes to the mind after watching the much awaited Yash Raj movie, New York. After more than 2 long months of a draught of hindi movies, surely a lot was expected from New York, a much hyped big banner movie which it is.

Going by the trailors (dissappearing twin towers), if you thought, just as I did, that the movie would be about the plot of 9/11, then you would be highly dissappointed. Director, Kabir Khan, chooses a subject which is surely relevant in the post 9/11 era, but is not something, which has not been shown on the big screen. Case in point, 'Shoot on sight', and the Pakistani movie 'Khuda Kay Liye' did touch upon the topic with much success, and also appreciation thereafter. New York tries to focus only on that subject (the torture of innocent muslims after 9/11), but with prettier faces and locales, and guess what, it falls flat!

While watching the movie, at one point, you would feel for the innocent muslims who went through all the torture post 9/11, but the director, for god knows what reason, also shows a good 3-4 times, about how the same American system is also the most liberal and free in the world. The director forces his own confusion upon the viewers mind as well, with much finesse. Surely, something which he did not plan to do, as the message which he wanted to give through the movie, is not hard hitting at all.

Talking about the performances of the pretty starcast, they did full justice to the camera by looking great, and that's about it.

Katrina Kaif (Maya) is in the movie only because she is eye tonic with an original english accent (required as the character is set in America). Not much scope for a real performance, and she is at her best by not performing. Sab Moh Maya hain.

John Abraham (Sameer), with his unoriginal english accent (take note of how he pronouces the name Omar - 'Omaaar'), tries to deliver a good performance, but the director/script really does not let him do that. Most of the intense scenes are just inside the jail while he is tortured by the FBI, with a lot of shouting and also mute scenes.

Neil Nitin Mukesh (Omar), by far, had the most scope to deliver a great performance, given the way his character was written, and does remotely do justice to the role. Though, his acting is not without faults, and needs a lot of experience before he gets into the great category. Again, the script and director really does not help the actors anyway.

Irrfan Khan (Roshan), without doubt is the best actor out of all the starcast in the movie, and is remarkable in his character of the desi FBI officer. Though, he almost does a slumdog again. May be for the benefit of his bank account.

Watch New York for the subject which it is about, but do not go with a hope of a hard hitting performance oriented movie. It could have been a fantastic movie if exploited well by the director, but the end product only just dissappoints.

**/ *****

Average.

Sidharth Mehta

Dubai