Mira Nair's son nominated for NYC Mayor post
New York: Indian-origin politician Zohran Mamdani has clinched the Democratic Party's nomination to become the next Mayor of New York City. The 33-year-old state representative, son of noted filmmaker Mira Nair, mounted an aggressive grassroots campaign to defeat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Zohran won NYC's Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday night after Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset, as the young, progressive upstart built a substantial lead over the more experienced but scandal-scarred former Governor.
Though the race's ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who was virtually unknown outside of political circles a year ago, was in a commanding position. Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian-American mayor, if elected.
Zohran may not have followed in his mother's footsteps by becoming a filmmaker. But he's always had an eye for talent and an ear for a good story.
Back when Mira was planning to adapt Jhumpa Lahiri's book The Namesake into a film, she faced a dilemma. She was also offered to helm the fourth instalment of the popular Harry Potter film franchise, Harry Potter and the G0blet Of Fire.
Since Zohran was a huge Potterhead and would love reading the books by JK Rowling, Mira was conflicted whether she should trade the film adaptation she wanted to do for the one her son would've liked her to. So she asked her teenage son for an advice.
'Mama, any good director can make Harry Potter but only you can make The Namesake,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Danish influencer mistakes Amitabh Bachchan for papad maker, leaves the Internet in splits: ‘He gave me polio drops'
Frederikke, a Danish influencer, has taken the Internet by storm after she shared a video of her trying papadoms (Indian papad) for the first time during her trip to Nepal. What grabbed eyeballs was Frederikke mistaking Amitabh Bachchan for a papad maker. In the now-viral video, the influencer can be seen roasting a moong daal papad over an electric stove, then trying it, and sharing her reviews. 'This man makes the best papadoms,' she says, holding up the packet featuring none other than Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan. She further shares that she had bought the papad during a trip to Nepal and brought it back with her to Copenhagen. She goes on to asks her followers to help her find more of the snack, and to convey her message to the 'man' on the packaging. 'If anyone knows who this man is or where I can get more, please let me know,' she says. Sharing the video, she wrote, 'Who is this man—and why does he make the BEST papadum I've ever had?! I bought this papad back in Nepal and haven't found it anywhere in Copenhagen. I'm running low… if anyone knows where to get this or who this legendary papad guy is, please help.' Watch the video here: A post shared by Frederikke (@bhukkad_bidesi) The video quickly went viral, triggering a wave of hilarious reactions from 'desi' users, who also mentioned Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan. A user wrote, 'His daughter in law makes best hair dye and anti ageing cream called L'Oréal.' Another user commented, 'He learnt it from his wife.. makes great papadam out of paparazzi.' 'He also used to give me polio drops. I am alive today because of him,' a third user reacted. 'He also used to grow basmati rice at India Gate, New Delhi,' a fourth user commented.
Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Indian Express
What happened when missiles rained down in Israel: An account from Indians working there
On June 13, when Israel attacked Iran, the Indian embassy in Israel informed its citizens, many of them workers, on how to respond in case of an attack. 'If we were on the road, we had to lie down with both arms on the head; if we were on a bus, we had to stop and rush to the nearest bunker; and if we were at work, we had to rush to the basement,' said Basav Ram, a 30-year-old construction worker from Haryana's Jind. 'In our initial months, the Iron Dome (Israeli interceptor) was a wonder to us. We would gaze at the interceptions, but this time, it was a whole new ball game.' Ram, since he landed in Israel's Tel Aviv and moved to Netanya in April 2024, has seen the two countries attack each other over four times. However, this time, the attacks were more intense, he said. Around 6 am on June 13, his phone rang, warning him of an attack. 'First, we got a warning message, then an alarm rang, then a red alarm activated, which shut the phone off except for the blaring sound. The sirens from speakers outside accompanied this. We rushed to the bunker outside our building. Once inside, we were safe. Had buildings fallen on top of it, it would still not have collapsed,' he said. Ram rushed to such bunkers twenty times in the '12-day war', as US President Donald Trump calls it. From June 13 to 23, when a ceasefire was announced, Iran's ballistic missile attacks claimed 28 lives in Israel while Israel killed over 600 Iranians, including their top military brass. The Indian citizens in Israel include thousands employed by various companies through India's National Skill Development Corporation after it received a demand for 10,000 construction workers from Israel's Population and Immigration Authority for four roles — formwork, iron bending, plastering and ceramic tiling in November 2023, a month after Israel's attack on Gaza began. The NSDC has sent workers from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana so far under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement. Ram said he wanted to go home, but the embassy did not order an evacuation. 'I could not go individually because I could not get a vacation and was unsure of whether I would get a visa to re-enter if I left. Many of us from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana were discussing this. Everyone was scared, but we were more scared to go. The contract was for five years, and we want to make a name for ourselves. We came with a dream, and I could not go before it was fulfilled,' Ram said. 'I was constantly thinking of my family when explosions were ringing out around us. Ghar, galiyaan, gaon, sab yaad aayi.' Whenever his employer gave them a day off, the message came with a sense of foreboding. 'It was an omen that the day ahead would see attacks. The defence system intercepted all the missiles, but the explosions left us terrified. When my mother called worried, I would tell her the visuals broadcast by Indian media were fake,' he said. Ram said he will go home for a month this year and hopes to get married before returning. 'After the contract ends, I will go back and give the CET (common eligibility test for group C jobs). With a job at home, things will be immensely better. By then, I would have saved enough to sustain my family till I secure a posting,' he said. Currently, he earns around Rs 1.2 lakh a month, of which around 1 lakh is sent home every month. 'I can't leave my parents to poverty at this age,' Ram said. Gurdeep from Haryana, who lives in Lod, 15 km away from Jerusalem, said the surveillance during the war was scaled up. 'A few Indian labourers posted videos of the attack on social media. Soon, the embassy informed us not to take videos. They said action will be initiated against us. Every conversation and message is documented, even this call over WhatsApp,' he claimed. Gurdeep had left Jind for a construction job, which was terminated after three months. 'I was moved to the bakery by the same contractor, so the agreement remained the same,' he said. While the war waged, Gurdeep could not get a day off. 'If the siren went off, we would rush to the bunker under the bakery,' he said. His day shift is from 6 am to 6 pm, while the night shift is from 6 pm to 6 am, which he alternates between every week. 'When the sight of a truce was not near, I made sure my wife knew nothing about the attacks. I told my brothers to keep her away from the news,' he said. The last attacks in 2024 had left the family petrified, he said. Another labourer, on condition of anonymity, claimed they have been asked not to respond to posts of Palestinians on social media. 'We cannot be seen sharing or even interacting with content on Gaza. We rarely see any posts, and if we do, we have to ignore them. The embassy has also warned us of this,' he claimed. Shankar Dayal, who went to Israel in June 2024, said that although he was selected for tiling work at a construction site, he was placed on a road brick-laying stint. 'Several people have to leave because of this, and I have been shuttling between different jobs ever since,' he said. Dayal said long hours and heavy labour made him reconsider his decision. 'I want to go back to India. Jhagda chal raha hai yahan baar baar. Sabko jaan pyaari hai. If I had a better job, I would have been able to endure it better,' he said. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
Hans India
30 minutes ago
- Hans India
Pete Davidson, Dave Chapelle and Bill Burr Live in Abu Dhabi This Summer
Bengaluru: This summer, Abu Dhabi Comedy Season 2025 brings non-stop laughter to the capital. Following standout performances from global favourites including Trevor Noah, Kevin Hart, Gabriel 'Fluffy' Iglesias and Michael McIntyre, the season continues with a stellar lineup of A-list acts featuring American comedy icons Pete Davidson (25 June), Dave Chappelle (27 June) and Bill Burr (12 July), all taking the stage at the state-of-the-art Etihad Arena on Yas Island. Running through July, Abu Dhabi Comedy Season is part of the packed Abu Dhabi Calendar, celebrating events that inspire people to embrace their passions – across sports, culture, music and entertainment – just a flight away from the United States. Your summer in Abu Dhabi While you're in the city, don't forget to explore the inspiring cultural landmarks, serene beaches, desert adventures, and exciting theme parks—whether it's Ferrari World Abu Dhabi or Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi. With everything in close proximity, you can easily shape your perfect Abu Dhabi getaway at your own pace.
