After weeks of no show at multiplexes, we have all been waiting for a ‘good’ movie and quite frankly we haven’t yet had a decent release the whole of 2009. Watching the promos of New York, I had this feeling that this John – Neil – Katrina starrer could be the one to break the trend of disastrous movies.
New York produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Kabir Khan (Kabul Express) is set against the back drop of a city filled with opportunities and freedom. The film talks about friendship, freedom, racism and consequences of the 9/11 attack. At a time when Bollywood is dire, will such a theme that talks about social relevance work with the audience?
New York revolves around three young, energetic and trouble-free friends Sam (John Abraham), Maya (Katrina Kaif) and Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) who discover a new world of happiness in each other’s company. But one day an event that put the entire world into a state of shock changed their lives drastically, a change that was way beyond their control. Roshan (Irrfan Khan), an FBI undercover agent, in attempts to protect the freedom that he believes everybody in America enjoys, takes us on a roller coaster ride.
New York Bollywood Movie Review
Unlike some of YRF films, this time New York (the city) is the backdrop with a relevant reason. The movie has a little dose of friendship as its strength but it widely deals with racism and more importantly the inhuman treatment of innocent suspects in the detention centers of USA post 9/11 attack.
After Kabul Express, director Kabir Khan has come a long way and New York could well be his claim to fame. His second outing, yet again carries a very humane and sensitive plotline, well written by Aditya Chopra. The director finds the perfect balance between happy and conflicting moments to make New York a great watch, filled with riveting moments.
Although some sequences are over looked to avoid controversies, that such movies usually generate, the unbiased screenplay is convincingly written and executed grippingly that you find yourself glued to the screen guessing what could happen next and each time you are left surprised.
New York starts off brillianty with no beating-around-the-bush in introducing and establishing the relationship between the three friends, the director gets down to the point in no time. Both the light and the aggressive moments are shot extremely well. Post interval, the movie neither looses its pace nor its grip on the audience. The climax although not extraordinary is told very convincingly. Cinematography is first-rate. Editing and background score is brilliant. The dialogues are good. The music is very good too, among all you’ll find yourself humming to the tunes of Junoon.
It’s not just the story that makes this movie a great watch but also the first rate performances by its lead cast. John Abraham does well in a powerful role. Be it while playing an innocent family man or a man out to set the society right, its clear the John has put in a lot of effort into this.. Neil Nithin Mukesh is brilliant, from the beginning to the end, a very consistent performance.
Katrina Kaif is the surprise package and proves herself in a de-glam role. Undoubtedly, her career best performance. Irrfan Khan manages to amaze once again.
Overall, New York is a must watch – well scripted, well directed and add to it the stellar performances. One of Yashraj’s finest movies, in a long long time! With fingers crossed, we hope the film succeeds at the box-office.
Dont miss it and remember to watch it only in theatres. Immense amount of work goes into the making of each film, so we kindly request you not to buy, rent or download pirated copies!
Rating: 
Thanks alot Indicine Team for taking his comment out!!!!! I can not take any abusing comments against SRK or Shahid!!
i dont think the movie is as great as it is being made out …it doesnt touch you in any way..emotionally i mean..the story is a little crazily done ..nypd doesnt require the services of any friend of the suspect whom they want to uncover ..they can simply put him under surveilance tap the phones etc,,so the idea of omar being sent into sams family doesnt really get acceptance…also if they suspected sam so much they could have him shadowed!!!! as simple as that.. and all this happens in the first 15 mts of the film ..so the logic is thread bared there and then ..after that its quite a pain to sit out …there are no weepy moments nor tugging stills..i went out of the hall having no remebrances of the film so its a must avoid film ..try getting it from some torrent site..for me this was forgivable forgotton experience
Indicine team, I watched this movie to day and as I promised, here is my opinion about the movie.
It is a really really nice movie. It is a really touching movie and makes us feel what those innocent people went through after this 9/11 attack. Neil was superb. John is hot and also good in his performance. But the ending could have been better than this. So I’ll give it 4 stars out of 5.
Kat was just amazing. She not only lighted the movie with her cuuuuuuuuuuuuute smile but also delivered the most brilliant performance ever. She deserves at least a filmfare nomination for this character if not the award. I prefer if she could receive the award this time as she has never won an award and all the other big actresses like Priyanka, Kareena, Deepika, Rani, Preity and Aish have won at least 1 award. Anyways, who will win the award will depend on how much justice Priyanka has done to her role in Kaminay and Kareena has done to her role in 3 idiots(if that movie releases in this year).
Kat,keep your sweetest smile forever. Keep doing this kind of quality movies. It’ll help with your career. You are the sweetest actress in Bollywood.
i agree ..it is not a great film performances are o.k. music is invisible so thank you very much for that ..thanx for not putting any bonhomie songs like yeh dosti naheen todenge types.. the story is very unconvincing… why would jeopardise his life and leave behind a wife and son for his unjustified revenge?? isnt he awre of the us laws?? and omars shoutings in front of the indian policeman ..he could shout back only becoz he was an indian policeman.. had it been a us cop he would have got smashed!!!! cmon guys ..this is a lazy depiction of 9/11 and youre loving it??? please grow up as audience and ask for a better cinema at least something which is convincing and shakes u up to the core not mediocre cinema!!!
Super Movie No Doubt. This movie is not for the one who likes to watch all those tumkas and jumkas of YR movies. This movie is very practically said. Usually i never watch hindi movies so excitingly as i watched New York.
Appreciate the people who was part of this movie.
Thanks for the review :)
I watched this movie on the first day and first show with my friends
and I really enjoyed watching this movie.
It was a great movie and the actors were amazing. KATRINA,JOHN, NEIL & IRFAAN wereee rockingg !!!
On the whole, NEW YORK is amongst the finest films produced by Yash Raj. At the box office, there’s no stopping this one. Go for it now!
Rating : 5/5
will the indicine team try explaining why the entire movie is shot in slow mo .is there no other way to show the impact of a scene than put the shot in slow motion???? ..well to my imagination only 15 mts of the movie is played in normal frame .. it is this shoddiness which makes our movies poor quality movies in comparison to hollywoood
I only watched the movie yesterday … and to my surprise it was brilliant, for the first time I have actually notice john on screen … cos most of the time its only his body but no soul in the character he plays. And honestly speaking it is one heart rending story .. it literally made me cry in the end … i thought katriina may not die .. but she did and it was shock but a good ending … all the actors hve done a great job … to be honest I hadnt thought who and how many people would have been effected after the 9/11 and until i saw new york and its really sad… and it got me really emotional… but well done for the good work.
Saleena: Hi.. if u loved New York then you (must) watch the Pakistani movie (Khuda ke Liye).. I saw it twice.. it’s really a good movie which have different issues, not only about the innocent ppl who suffered after 9/11 but it’s also about the extremist in Islam and ppl who practice islam in a wrong way and have a great influence on the youngsters.. it’s a must watch movie.
Fellow watchers, I am really confused about the motive of the movie…… what was the aim that YR wanted to achieve?
First I thought it was all about showing the real picture of what was and is happening in the US and all over the world because of our ethnicity. But the last of all comment that Barak Obama stopped the operation of Guantanamo Bay seems to me like a desperate try of the US authority to bring it image back on the unbiased platform.
Facts that a practicing muslim should never do were shown in this movie……in Islam it is forbidden to drink alcohol……I don’t really get it…..
Is it really so….!! people are now totally unbiased about the MUSLIMS? Will a fellow practicing muslim say and agree with that?
And being the Son of a terrorist…. will the kids like Danyal survive the bully and commments made to him? What will happen when he finds out the truth about his father? One day or the other it will come out…and we all know it….
A film is not supposed to be a simple entertainment of the moment to escape the boredom of life but it is there to send messages through out the century and generations to come….so when they see the movie they get the real picture of what happened and still the film remains unbiased….. Will something like this happen with NEW YORK?
The question remains unanswered.
BTW, the cinematography was simply superb…I have to give the credit to that….simply awesome….But being a bangladeshi I must admit that there is corruption inside the corruption…..hahahaha…..and that Bangldeshi terrorist gets the bullet on his back!!!!!!!….how pathetic……lol….
The movie was soft but the ending was to harsh for sam and maya…..
Besides not enough details were given about what happened with Danyal after sam and maya died…..Danyal simply accepts Omar? No questons asked , no emotion? OH!! we have seen better endings I have to admit that… It was like danyal was just a part forgotten to be developed…..But very IRONICALLY, Danyal is the future image of the muslim immigrants on the US SOIL!!!
Im writing to let you know how much i enjoyed watching this movie.
Im an Australian female 18 year old, and i dont really have an interest to watch indian movies however this one really made me lose sleep as it wouldnt leave my mind.
I was so emotional during the last scene where Katrina and John get shot, i felt moved and quite happy that i got to experience and feel what i did.
Ive been telling all my friends to watch it, i think its a really good movie out there especially for a specific target audience which should be teenagers and later their kids.
I also have to say Neil is pretty goodlooking too, and what a fine actor, would love to see more of him!
:)
Goodluck-
Pooja
Great film! Shows the reality behind terrorism, that revenge can cause more harm than already present and gives Bollywood credit that it can now produce more realistic films. Also, in Islam, Muslims are not allowed to kill each other NOR innocent people including Muslims and non-Muslims. And this film shows the reality behind racism–how it shows ignorance on people and? causes harm. I feel sorry for all the innocent victims (about 1,200 people as said in the movie) who were wrongly accused of terrorism and were tortured after 9/11. May God bless them all. :)
Thank you for your blog post.Thanks Again. Cool.