2 days ago
How NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is tied to Mississippi
Long before Zohran Mamdani shocked New York City's political establishment, his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, told a different story of immigration and identity — set in Greenwood.
Nair, an Indian-American filmmaker, directed the 1991 movie "Mississippi Masala," starring a young Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury.
The film tells a love story between an Indian-Ugandan woman, forced to flee her home in Uganda, and a Black man living in Mississippi. Set against the backdrop of racial tensions in the American South and the perils of forced migration, the film explores themes of identity, belonging and interracial relationships.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist and New York Assembly member, shocked the nation when he beat out former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, securing his place as the party's nominee. Cuomo, who was seen as the frontrunner, conceded to Mamdani after polls closed on Tuesday, June 24.
Mamdani's win also drew the attention — and scorn — of President Donald Trump, who mocked Mamdani on social media as 'a 100% Communist Lunatic." In response, Mamdani, unfazed, laughed and doubled down on his platform. In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, June 26, he said, 'It probably won't be the first time that President Trump is going to comment on myself.'
In a February-post shared to social media, Mamdani, who was born the same year the film was release, explained that his parents met while Nair was filming "Mississippi Masala."
"She taught me that if we don't tell our own stories no one else will and too often when it comes to stories about people of color, by people of color, we don't have that funding in New York City and across the world," Mamdani said, adding that, if elected, he plans to prioritize funding for art projects that reflect New York City's full diversity.
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While location scouting for the film, Nair met Mahmood Mamdani, the mayoral hopeful's father, who was among the Indian minority expelled from Uganda under dictator Idi Amin in the 1970s. 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.
Other major films Nair has directed include, 2001's "Monsoon Wedding," which won a Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, and "Salaam Bombay!" — an Indian-Hindi language film that received a nomination for best international film feature at the 1989 Academy Awards. More recently, Nair directed the 2016 film "Queen of Katwe," a biographical drama about Ugandan professional chess player Phiona Mutesi.
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Mamdani will now head to the general election in November, where he will face multiple challengers, including incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who recently had federal corruption charges dropped in April. Adams, a fellow Democrat, opted to run as an independent this year so he did not participate in the Democratic primary.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman and Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today
Contact Charlie Drape at cdrape@
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mayor NYC nominee Zohran Mamdani Mississippi connection, explained
