Avantika Ahuja [Kareena Kapoor] who lives in the United States returns to Delhi after her father has a cardiac arrest. While in Delhi she meets Ehsaan Khan [Saif Ali Khan], a University professor from Mumbai. Being in the same career field at the same place, love blossoms between the two. Meanwhile Avantika gets a return call from New York asking her to rejoin her job. She breaks this news to Ehsaan and expresses her desire to work in the US, Ehsaan agrees and joins her but before that Avantikas father has some reservations about his daughter marrying a Muslim.However he gives in as the couple has decided to get married. Eventually they get married and move to the USA. Avantika helps Ehsaan in getting a job at the same university where she teaches and Ehsaan is appointed as a professor to teach Islam and the Modern World. Avantikas life changes when her neighbor Salma [Nauheed Cyrusi] informs her about her house arrest and requests Avantika to help her by contacting her friend Rihana [Dia Mirza], a TV reporter. Avantika meets Rihana and tells her about Salmas problem and meanwhile she meets Riyaz [Vivek Oberoi], Rihanas boyfriend and colleague who takes Salmas problem as a case of domestic violence. Unfortunately, Rihana has to fly out of the city before meeting Salma and she gets her flight information when Avantika is still at her office. Avantika becomes pregnant and waits at her house to share this with Ehsaan but when she hears voices coming from their neighbors house, she investigates and finds out that her neighbors Bhaijaan [Om Puri] and the others are planning to send Tahir and blast the flight in which Rihana is traveling, and have also killed Salma as she wanted to expose them. Her neighbors see her and chase her to her house where she meets Ehsaan who consoles her but soon reveals that he is also a part of the terrorist group. Bhaijaan ask Ehsaan to kill her in order to make their operation successful, however Ehsaan denies after learning that Avantika is pregnant. Ehsaan keeps Avantika in house arrest and threatens to kill her father in India if she tries to inform anyone. Avantika realizes that she is a pawn in Ehsaan''s game. It turns out he married her to legitimately obtain Social Security Cards and a new identity in the USA. Avantika calls Rihana and leaves a voice message on her office number to stop her from boarding the flight. Unfortunately, the plane explodes killing Rihana. Riyaz, heartbroken and revengeful finds Avantikas voice message for Rihana and begins a mission to uncover the real culprits behind the flight bombings. Riyaz also joins Ehsaans lectures and soon befriends him. Ehsaan finds him to be a perfect replacement for one of his group member Aqeel [Salmas husband] who was killed by Ehsaan while they were taking out Salmas body to bury it. Ehsaan introduces Riyaz to Bhaijaan who becomes suspicious of Riyazs thoughts to fight against the Americans. Ehsaan makes Riyaz a part of their next mission to bomb several subway stations in New York. Riyaz tries to spoil the plan with the help of Avantika. Time starts running out for Riyaz & Avantika and they become helpless when Bhaijaan advances the mission by 3 days. While carrying bombs in the subway Riyazs colleague bumps into him and tells Ehsaan & Bhaijaan about his real identity. Riyaz tries to escape and in the chaos, shoots Bhaijaan. While taking his last breath, Bhaijaan informs Ehsaan that there are 3 more bombs placed in the bags of 2 wives of the terrorists involved and one of it placed in Avantikas bag which is being escorted by Aapa [Kirron Kher]. He has a change of heart to save his love and child and doesnt kill Riyaz when he corners him and instead they both make a plan to stop all the other terrorists. Riyaz tries to save the people at the train stations but 2 bombs explode killing Hamid and another terrorist. Ehsaan kills Aapa while saving Avantika. Ultimately he sacrifices himself at the end to save the innocent Avantika. Ehsaan dies by committing suicide and Riyaz arrives to see Avantika.

Production

Shooting for the film began in November 2008 in Philadelphia and in Brooklyn in May 2009.

Soundtrack

Song	Singer[s]	Duration	Notes
Shukran Allah	Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Salim Merchant	04:48	Picturised on Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor
Dua	Sukhwinder Singh, Kailash Kher, Marianne DCruz Aiman	05:00	Picturised on Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor
Ali Maula	Salim Merchant	04:37	Picturised on whole cast
Rasiya	Shruti Pathak	03:05	Picturised on Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor
Kurbaan Hua	Vishal Dadlani	04:18	Picturised on Saif Ali Khan
Ali Maula [Remix]	Salim Merchant	04:08

Box office

The movie grossed around Rs 4 crore approx on its opening day. Overall its collection was mediocre except in Mumbai territory where it collected around Rs 1.5 crore on its first day. The Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor starrer couldn''t boost the collections even on first weekend. The collections did not show a big leap and the movie just managed a fair business over its first weekend. The collections dropped on Monday taking its four day business to only Rs 15.75 crore approx. At the end of first week of release it seemed the film would not even do Rs 30 crore net business. It has been declared a flop on the basis of average collections at the box office. In the US, the film has grossed $743,209.

Critical reception

The movie received moderately positive reviews. The dialogues, background score and cinematography were appreciated by the critics. *[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/media/entertainment-/entertainment/Kurbaan-Movie-Review/articleshow/5249742.cms Gaurav Malani, Economic Times ] *[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/moviereview/5243561.cms Nikhat Kazmi, The Times of India ] *[http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/review.php?id=14920355&ctid=5&cid=2425&value=review Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama ] *[http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masands-movie-review-kurbaan-a-compelling-thriller/105655-8.html Rajeev Masand, CNN-IBN ] *[http://www.aol.in/bollywood-story/kurbaan-movie-review/674779 Noyon Jyoti Parasara, AOL India ] *[http://movies.rediff.com/report/2009/nov/20/review-kurbaan-is-bloody-smart.htm Chandrima Pal, Rediff ] *[http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2009/nov/211109-Kurbaan-movie-review.htm Tushar Joshi, Mid-Day ] *[http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/71738/Cinema/Kurbaan:+Making+terrorism+a+sick+joke.html Kaveree Bamza, India Today ] *[http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Kurbaan/544211/ Shubhra Gupta, The Indian Express ]

Controversy

The production companies, The Swish Group and Dharma Productions left Philadelphia owing the city and film community over $100,000. Producer Mitu Bhowmick Lange was held largely responsible for the black eye of Indian film making in the United States. A petition was filed in the Bombay High Court to stay the release of movie after claims that two of the songs in the movie were obscene. The court declined to stay the release, and sought the responses of Karan Johar, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.