Cinema VinesIndian filmmaker Kabir Khan reflected on the day of the September 11 attacks while in New York, describing the shock he felt watching the city confront a tragedy that had never been imagined. He remembered the city’s palpable grief and the way the events reshaped the skyline and the lives of its residents.
In a post marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Khan shared a series of photographs he had taken around the city that day. He wrote that New York had long been a part of his cinematic journey and that being present during the attacks allowed him to witness firsthand how the city was shaken.
Seven years after 9/11, Khan returned to New York to shoot his second feature, also titled New York. The film, released in 2009, stars John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Katrina Kaif and explores the aftermath of the attacks, the rise of Islamophobia, and how friendships and identities were tested in a post‑9/11 world.
During the shoot, Khan revisited the streets he had filmed earlier, this time armed with a Leica SL3P camera. He noted that the city had reclaimed its spirit, remaining restless, resilient and gloriously alive. The film’s narrative follows the city’s journey from devastation to renewal.
On the anniversary, Khan’s reflections come amid worldwide remembrance ceremonies at Ground Zero, where the names of the 2,977 victims are read aloud by family members. The attacks, orchestrated by al‑Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden, led to sweeping changes in U.S. counter‑terrorism policy, military operations and domestic security measures.
