Kabul Express

Kabul Express is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language adventure thriller film written and directed by Kabir Khan in his feature directorial debut, produced by Aditya Chopra and starring John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Salman Shahid, Hanif Humgaam, and Linda Arsenio. Set in post-Taliban Afghanistan, the narrative follows two Indian journalists who, while reporting from Kabul, are taken hostage by a former Taliban soldier, leading to a perilous journey across the war-torn country.

The film marked Khan's transition from documentary to feature filmmaking and was based in part on his and fellow journalist Rajan Kapoor’s real-life experiences in Afghanistan. Kabul Express was shot entirely on location in Afghanistan, making it one of the first Indian films to be filmed there after the fall of the Taliban regime. The cinematography was handled by Anshuman Mahaley, with editing by Amitabh Shukla and music composed by Raghav Sachar.

Premiering at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, Kabul Express received praise for its visuals, themes, and performances, though it also generated controversy for its depiction of Afghan ethnic groups. It was released theatrically on 15 December 2006 and became a moderate commercial success, earning approximately ₹110 million (US$2.5 million) worldwide.