Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democrat, has been elected as New York City's mayor after a close three-way race. He defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. His victory celebration went viral when he walked out to the Bollywood song Dhoom Machale from the 2004 film Dhoom. Throughout his campaign, Zohran embraced Bollywood culture, using Hindi dialogues, recreating iconic film scenes, and designing campaign posters inspired by vintage Indian cinema. His mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, known for works like Salaam Bombay! and The Namesake, has a strong connection to Indian cinema. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a respected academic. Zohran's unique approach, blending South Asian identity with American politics, resonated with voters and brought a distinctive energy to New York's political landscape.
Deep Family Roots in Indian Cinema and Academia
Zohran's connection to Indian cinema extends beyond his victory playlist. His mother, Mira Nair, directed globally celebrated films including Salaam Bombay! (1988), Monsoon Wedding (2001), and The Namesake (2006), which featured Bollywood actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu, and Irrfan Khan. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an academic whose work explores colonialism and identity. The couple met while Nair scouted locations for Mississippi Masala (1991), a film about Indians expelled from Uganda. Zohran contributed to his mother's Queen of Katwe as a third assistant director and music supervisor, and even performed a rap track under the stage name Young Cardamom. He also advised Nair to cast Kal Penn in The Namesake.
Bollywood-Inspired Campaign Strategy Won Hearts
Throughout his campaign, Zohran cleverly used Bollywood culture to connect with voters. He posted videos in Hindi, recreated Amitabh Bachchan's legendary Deewar scene, and struck Shah Rukh Khan's iconic pose. He used soundtracks from Om Shanti Om and scenes from Karz to explain ranked-choice voting. His campaign visuals, designed by Aneesh Bhoopathy, drew inspiration from vintage Bollywood posters with vibrant yellow and red hues and expressive typography. He opened speeches with "Bhai aur behnon." Director Zoya Akhtar congratulated him on Instagram after his win, which Mira Nair proudly reshared. His unique approach demonstrated how Indian cinema's soft power can influence elections beyond entertainment.
Source: Link