Enkayaar, Bollywood Trade News Network

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Post 9/11, a sense of paranoia indeed gripped the US administration and all those who were not Asians, particularly those belonging to the Asian countries started being viewed with suspicion as potential terrorists having sinister designs against the United States. Lots of films were made along these lines and predictably the villains in all such situations were the people from Asian countries, particularly if they had an Islamic name, or a name, which was difficult to pronounce.

NEW YORK is a take from the different perspective, i.e. what psychological trauma and the mental torture those who are at the receiving end are facing, more so those from the Asian countries, even though they might be second or third generation Americans, but as there genes has the Asiatic code, the spotlight of suspicion would continue to loom over them in crisis situations. The spotlight would be more so harsh if a student from the Asian country comes to study in USA and befriends the people of Asian origin living in USA, as his would be an attempt to use them to create insurgency in USA.Based on a story written by Aditya Chopra, this is first large scale offering from Yash Raj Films, which has been directed by Kabir Khan. It is indeed an interesting counter poise to the paranoia kind of positioning that has been adapted in USA, and coming at a time when the regime of Presidency has changed in USA, NEW YORK indeed is a film which may be apt in the time, as reconciliation and rapprochement is the flavour of the season, being directed by the US President, Obama.

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Kabir Khan's earlier film, KABUL EXPRESS also tried to view the situation of Afghanistan in this context only. May be, he is creating a niche for himself in making films in the troubled regions of the world and trying to interpret them in a new way. Would Iraq be the new location for Kabir Khan?

The film's star cast in the shape of John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Katrina Kaif is an interesting pair, and for Neil Mukesh in particular it is an opportunity that can cement his place in the industry. Neil Nitin Mukesh plays the role of a legal detainee and the issue that is under focus is how to treat the detainee and this is a vexatious issue for political rulers around the world. As Aditya Chopra has written the script can he throw up an answer to this? The real barometer of success for the film would be, if it is able to score a hit in the USA and is able to change the prejudices of the establishments in the USA. Time would only be the judge, but the issue indeed is a political one, whose answers are being sought by rulers of each political countries.


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