Zohran Mamdani's mom is a famous director: NYC mayoral election's Hollywood connection
As New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday, June 24, the race is shaping up to be a two-man contest between a well-known ex-governor and a social media-savvy newcomer.
Andrew Cuomo, viewed as an early frontrunner in the race, is getting a run for his money from Zohran Mamdani, a New York State assemblymember.
Mamdani is also the son of Mira Nair, an Indian-American filmmaker who's worked with A-list talent in her nearly five-decade-long career.
Nair is best known for "Mississippi Masala," a cross-cultural romance movie that starred Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury. The film, released in 1991, explored the expulsion of the Indian minority from Uganda during the reign of Idi Amin.
While location scouting for the film, Nair met Mahmood Mamdani, the mayoral hopeful's father, who was among the Indian minority expelled. The elder Mamdani was an author and academic, and after marrying, the pair moved for his work sporadically before settling in New York City, where their son is now gunning to be the city's leader.
Nair's other major credits include 2001's "Monsoon Wedding" and "Salaam Bombay!" which was nominated for both an Oscar and a BAFTA in 1988. She is also behind "Queen of Katwe," a 2016 hit film on which the younger Mamdani helped with both casting and directing.
Should Mamdani win, he would be the first Muslim mayor of the United States' largest city and the first Democratic Socialist. His campaign, which has galvanized a young and progressive populace in New York City, has been fueled by a heavy TikTok presence and a series of ambitious policies promised, including free bus fare and frozen rent for tenants in stabilized units.
He is supported by much of the Democratic party's left flank, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Cuomo, on the other hand, represents a more establishment figure, and has earned the endorsement of former President Bill Clinton.