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Kabir Khan recalls being in New York during 9/11 terror attack, says city was 'shaken by the unimaginable tragedy'

Khan recalled being in the US when the attacks took place and witnessing New York grapple with the unimaginable tragedy.

Published on: Sep 12, 2026, 10:35:01 IST
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Filmmaker Kabir Khan reflected on his long association with New York City, recalling the impact the September 11 terror attacks had on it. The filmmaker also spoke about what it felt like being in NYC during the attacks.

Kabir Khan recalls being in NYC during 9/11

Kabir Khan recalled his time in New York during the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Kabir Khan recalled his time in New York during the September 11 attacks in 2001.

On the 25th anniversary of the attacks, the filmmaker shared a series of photographs that he clicked around the city. Kabir Khan recalled being in the US when the attacks took place and witnessing New York grapple with the unimaginable tragedy. “New York has been a part of my film journey for a long time. I was in the US when 9/11 happened and witnessed a city shaken by the unimaginable tragedy,” he wrote.

Deep Dive

What impact did the 9/11 attacks have on New York City according to Kabir Khan?

Kabir Khan reflected that the 9/11 attacks left New York City shaken by an unimaginable tragedy, altering its spirit while also revealing the city's resilience in the aftermath.

Why did Kabir Khan return to New York City seven years after the 9/11 attacks?

Kabir Khan returned to NYC seven years later to film his second movie, 'New York,' which was shaped by the aftermath of the attacks and explored the resulting wave of Islamophobia.

How did the 9/11 attacks affect cultural perceptions and narratives in the media?

The 9/11 attacks influenced cultural narratives by initiating discussions about friendship, identity, and perceptions of belonging, as depicted in Kabir Khan's film 'New York' which focused on these themes post-attack.
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New York, the 2009 release, starred John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Katrina Kaif. It was set against the backdrop of the post-9/11 world and explored the impact of the attacks and their aftermath on friendship, identity and perceptions of belonging.

The 9/11 attacks

Kabir Khan’s post comes as the world marks a quarter-century since the September 11 attacks, prompting renewed reflections on the tragedy and its lasting impact on New York and beyond.

On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger aircraft in a coordinated attack against the United States. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Centre's Twin Towers in New York, while a third struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth aircraft crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempted to regain control.

The attacks killed 2,977 people, according to official US figures. The tragedy triggered sweeping changes in US counterterrorism policy, military operations and domestic security measures.

At Ground Zero in New York, annual remembrance ceremonies continue to honour the victims, with their names read aloud by family members and loved ones. The attacks were orchestrated by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur

Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.

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