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

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.

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The filmmaker added that he returned to the city seven years later to film New York, his second directorial, which dealt with the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the wave of Islamophobia that came after it. “Seven years later, I returned to shoot my second film New York, a film shaped by the aftermath of that day and saw the city reclaim its spirit. This time, I walked those streets again with just my new Leica SL3P, revisiting corners where I had once shot scenes. The city remains restless, resilient and gloriously alive,” the filmmaker added.

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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.

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