Starring John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Irrfan Khan. Directed by Kabir Khan, In Hindi and English, with English subtitles. Rated 14A.

After a number of critically acclaimed films in recent years on domestic terrorism, Bollywood has turned its lens on 9/11 and America’s ill-conceived war on terror. Yash Raj Films’ New York is the first of a number of U.S.–set films looking at the treatment of Muslims and other South Asian minorities in the U.S.

Hot, young stars John Abraham (Dostana), Katrina Kaif (Singh is Kinng), and Neil Nitin Mukesh play three New York State University students Samir, Maya, and Omar respectively, who find camaraderie, friendship, and budding romance until 9/11 turns their world upside down. It’s clear early on that Maya and Samir are soul mates despite Omar’s deep feelings for the angelic, beautiful Maya.

While Omar, a visiting Indian student, returns home to escape the fear and backlash following the earth-shattering events of 9/11, the American Samir becomes the target of Bush state paranoia, part of a roundup of young Muslim men suspected of being terrorists.

The story picks up again several years later when the FBI lures the returning Omar into helping them infiltrate a sleeper terrorist cell, which might be headed by his old friend Samir, who was released from custody due to lack of evidence.

While the charming stars serve as eye candy to keep audiences interested with their love triangle, they lack the acting chops for key dramatic scenes, which sometimes disintegrate into shouting matches and awkward pauses. However, versatile Irrfan Khan is definitely up to the challenge as the shrewd FBI agent Roshan who takes Omar under his wing to betray his friend.

Director Kabir Khan, who made his debut with another politically charged film, Kabul Express, set in war-torn Afghanistan, frames this birth of a terrorist tale as a thriller. Various elements ripped from the headlines, such as state torture like waterboarding, are manipulated to serve his far-fetched and improbable plot. The result is an uneven and unsatisfying potboiler.