Bollywood gets on the 'lets make a film about 9/11' bandwagon

Instep Desk

Bollywood's fascination with 9/11 seems to have come several years too late. Releasing in the near future are two Indian films that are set against the backdrop of the tragedy that took place in New York in 2001. While Hollywood has already made 9/11 the subject of several films, and has been done and over with that years ago, Bollywood has only just latched onto the bandwagon. And by the look of it, they don't seem to be letting go anytime soon. These two films come after Bollywood has produced several films about terrorism including Mission Istaanbul, Kabul Express, A Wednesday, Shoot on Sight, Mumbai Meri Jaan et al.

Also releasing is Total 10, a film about the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, which gives a cinematic verdict to the accused in the case, Ajmal Kasab. According to British newspaper The Times, at least 18 film titles were registered - some even while the operation against the Mumbai attacks was ongoing - with the authorities in India, and so one should expect several more films about 26/11 soon.

But while terrorism and the Mumbai attacks are still relevant given the number of countries that have been direct targets of it, including our own, one doesn't understand why 9 years later Bollywood has suddenly awoken to making films about 9/11. The angle that Bollywood seems to be capitalizing on is that of Indian Muslims living in New York at the time of the attack and how the stereotypes and racial profiling of Muslims in the US affected them. From the storylines one has read of the two films in question, they seem to be in the same vein. The films in question are Kabir Khan's New York, which stars John Abraham (who plays a Muslim character), Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Karan Johar's My Name is Khan, which stars Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Jimmy Shergill, who portray a Muslim family as well.

While My Name is Khan has no set release date as yet, New York hits Indian cinemas on June 26, and according to the film's cast and crew, it is more a story of the relationship between three friends as opposed to dealing with 9/11 directly. One will have to wait and see what New York holds and whether it attempts to challenge stereotypes or perpetuate them. But in any case, Bollywood should rethink the 9/11 angle: it just seems too recycled.