Questions -
You have been to Srinagar for a short trip and obviously won’t miss Mughal Garden, Hazrat Bal ---! Will you think twice before clicking photograph?
Have you ever been subject to torture to the highest degree on the basis of your religion?
Have you ever feel like reacting against the system with vengeance due to the injustice happened to you?
Whether Mahatmaji’s famous quote "An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind" is still relevant?
All these questions started probing me the moment I finished watching Yash Raj Flim’s latest flick "New York"
It is a work of fiction for sure but should have been the story of many who were living under the eye of suspicion post 9/11 mishap! Pardon me if I have to introduce the protagonists’ of the movie as "Two Muslim Young men" - but the movie is dealing with the trauma they have to undergo due to their religion!
Plot Summary
Samir Shaik (John Abraham) and Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) represent the US born person of Indian Origin and a Indian who went to US to pursue his University Education. The former is an outgoing, attention seeking, aggressive youngster full of energy! The latter is soft, sweet and naive! Maya (Katrina Kaif) is the student counsellor to Omar who was a fresher and three of them had fun time! Omar was having a soft corner towards Maya but when he realised that Maya loves Samir, he chose to stay away from their life. By that time, college education was also over and New York was struck down by 9/11 attack. Omar stay away from Samir and Maya for seven years and he went to Philadelphia. One fine day he was arrested (this is where the movie start) as FBI recovered arms and ammunitions like AK 47 in his taxi. He was interrogated by FBI Officer Roshan (Irrfan Khan).
Omar was subject to mental torture and was denied the right for an attorney as per the relevant provisions of Patriot Act. At a later stage, he was forced to work as an undercover agent of FBI to establish the terrorist links of his onetime good friend Samir. Samir and Maya got married and blessed with a kid also by then. Omar was forced to establish acquaintance with them again with a definite mission.
Whether Samir is a terrorist or he is an innocent victim?
How Omar is able to balance his emotions? His future is in stake, he still care for Samir and Maya!
New York is dealing with this extreme complex situation!
Casting -
Neil Nitin Mukesh got maximum screen presence and he did justice to director’s choice. His character demands multiple challenges - An innocent and naive youngster, someone who is not successful to establish relation with the lady of his choice, forced impecuniousness when he was targeted by FBI -----. Of course, the young boy is damn good looking also! We can expect lot from him in coming days! (Tota, Katoke ---- and what ever Delhi slang used by him is going to be a hit in campuses for sure)
John - I am surprised to note that he opted for a role having lesser screen presence. Post interval, his character dominate to a great extent. It is a role that demands more than the normal glamour quotient we expect from John.
Katrina - Her role is limited but towards the climax, the character demanded a lot from her and she did a good enough job.
Irrfan - A role made for him only! Tough, sarcastic, at times humorous! Any role is safe with Irrfan!
Music, Pritam- Many music reviews were released by now. KK song "Hai Junoon" is hummable! But a movie dealing with this subject - background score is going to have much significance and Julius Packiam did a wonderful job - especially during climax!
Aditya Chopra’s story got fresh life and exuberance by virtue of Sandeep Shrivastava’s screen play and dialgoue.
Cinematography - Standing ovation of Aseem Mishra! Larger than life situations were dealt with magnanimous craftsmanship
Captain of the crew, Kabir Khan - Yes, he is the one who lead everything! Director of the movie! Well done! Entire movie is based on a trivial fiction but director is smart enough to keep the audience to the toe and keep them entertained through out.
Finally -
I can excuse the high grade element of fiction and dramatic sequences in the movie as it was meant for cinematic pleasure and not challenging our commonsense to a great degree. If you are looking for a Serious Theme, Excellent Cast performance, Situations which make you laugh occasionally - New York has got everything! It is a movie dealing with a very serious subject but never fail to entertain you.
About the pre release hypes -
a) John’s nude scene - There is no vulgar. It is shot in such a way that you feel sorry for his character. Also, it is not explicit.
b) John - Katrina Bedroom Scene and Salman’s reaction - Goodness; it is such a simple shot lasting for less than 10 seconds and I have not seen anything untoward!
I have apprehension - whether the movie will do good in box office, when it comes to Non Metros but ofcourse, this is not going to be a flop.
The climax of the movie was quite surprising! We were conditioned with the predictable ending and New York is also predictable to a great extent but Kabir Khan wanted to left you stunned towards the end. The climax is sufficient to pass the trauma of the characters to the spectators! You cannot help but being sensitive to the innocent people who were tortured at Guantanamo Bay post 9/11.