Zohran Mamdani has made headlines as the youngest mayor of New York City. He is also the first Muslim to hold this mayoral position. His mother is acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair. Nair has expressed joy over her son’s significant accomplishment.
Mira Nair is renowned for her distinctive contributions to cinema. Her 1988 film, “Salaam Bombay!,” notably provided actor Irrfan Khan with his debut role. Khan portrayed a letter writer in the critically acclaimed movie.
“Salaam Bombay!” earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. The film also garnered nominations at the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Filmfare Awards.
Nair’s impressive filmography includes “Monsoon Wedding,” “Vanity Fair,” and “The Namesake.” “The Namesake” featured Irrfan Khan again, alongside actress Tabu, in leading roles. Other notable films by Nair are “The Perez Family,” “Amelia,” and “Queen of Katwe.”
Zohran Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda. His parents, Mira Nair and political scientist Mahmood Mamdani, married in 1991. Nair met Mahmood Mamdani in Uganda while conducting research for her film “Mississippi Masala.” Prior to this, Nair was married to photographer Mitch Epstein in 1977; that marriage ended before 1991.