John’s nu-de scene in New York not on the lines of Dostana”

Monday, June 22, 2009

Are you happy with the release date of New York and the promotions?
Our first trailer came out very early during Rab Ne Bana Do Jodi which was well received by people. The film was ready two months ago but the strike delayed it. I became very impatient, restless and felt irritated as I was very confident of the film and wanted to get it out. I am happy that we didn’t have to introduce the film to the audiences from the scratch as people had already seen its trailer and liked it. If the film is good people will like it irrespective of its promotions and release date. We are the first big film of the year.

New York has the backdrop of 9/11?
New York is a story of 3 friends and how their chemistry changes post the attacks of 9/11. John and Katrina play American citizens of Indian origin while Neil is an Indian studying in US. The two take Neil under their name and he starts seeing US through their eyes. The story spans across 9 years..from 1999 to 2008. 9/11 happens and how that turns their life upside down. Our film’s last day of shooting coincided with Bush’s last day of presidency, it was very symbolic as New York deals with looking forward and moving on.

The film seems topical given the recent racist attacks happening against Indians in Australia?
These events don’t leave you untouched. The world changed post 9/11, 26/11, post Obama became the president of US. These events altered our mind sets, our psyche. NY deals with the situation of Muslims in US post the WTC attacks. Comment
The film is about prejudice flowing both ways, how perceptions change. Its about how Muslims started reacting to what was happening against them and how the western world was looking at the Muslims. The film is thrown open to debate.

Did you go experience the trauma yourself?
My name is Khan! I don’t want to portray myself as a victim but I went through an irritating aspect of post 9/11 paranoia. FBI stopped me three times on random checks because of my name. I don’t blame them as its not just my name, my passport too had details of my visits to Afganistan, Iran. Even during the course of this film. I was denied visa twice as a director.

You have touched a sensitive topic. Any apprehension about the film running into controversy?
Research is my forte, I am documentary filmmaker. Our Indian audience are happy with illogical content they watch in films but the moment you give them something realistic they get a microscope but its good. My film will provoke the audiences to think. The censor board has given a straight U/A. It has John’s nude scene in it.
John has done it post Dostana so many think he wore a little chaddi in that film and now he is without it! The context in which his scene has been shot is very dark and humiliating chapter based on facts which illegal detainees go through. Its a planed process of humiliation, to torture these people and stripping was a part of the context. It was stripping them off their dignity. Its not on Dostana terms.

NY is Katrina’s first Yash Raj film
The way she has portrayed Maya in the film, I was blown away. It is Katrina’s first film in this kind of real cinema. Katrina is the surprise factor of New York, look, performance and the way her character breathes onscreen, she is superb.

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