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Business Standard
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Salaam New York: Zohran Mamdani & a fusion of 3 cross-continental cultures
There has been a development in New York that challenges Donald Trump's America, where certain subjects – such as diversity, inclusion, immigrants, and Palestine – have become difficult to venture into. It is the primary victory of Zohran Kwame Mamdani in the mayoral election, one that makes him likely to become New York City's first Indian-American and first Muslim mayor if he wins against the Republican candidate in November. The 33-year-old Democratic candidate, who is a former Republican, was born to immigrant parents, supports Palestine, has a socialist agenda for New York, including free childcare and rent cap, feels strongly about climate change, wants to tax wealthy Big Apple residents, and increase corporate tax. His pro-Palestine slogan, 'Globalise the intifada (rebellion or uprising)', has his opponents gunning for him and the American media dissecting his politics, but he has stood his ground. In many ways, Mamdani symbolises multiculturalism, which stems from the family he comes from, the relationships he has forged, and the arts he has embraced. His mother, Mira Nair, is a well-recognised Indian-American filmmaker, many of whose movies have been critically acclaimed globally. Among them are Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe, Monsoon Wedding, in each of which she pushes boundaries, often turning the spotlight on the underdog, bringing the missable into focus: Whether it is about the struggles of first-generation immigrants (The Namesake), who are caught between two cultures, and their children, who believe they belong to their parents' adopted country but don't quite; or, about the precarious lives of children in the slums of the financial powerhouse now called Mumbai (Salaam Bombay!), where the actors are the street children themselves; or about the travails of a 10-year-old chess prodigy born in a disadvantaged part of Uganda (Queen of Katwe). There is a story behind the name 'Nair', which appears to indicate that Mamdani's mother has roots in Kerala. She is, however, a Punjabi, and her father was in the Indian Administrative Service and mother a social worker. The family name, Nayyar, was changed to 'Nair' by her grandfather for reasons unclear. There is also a story behind Mamdani's middle name, 'Kwame'. It was given to him by his Indian-Ugandan father, Mahmood Mamdani, in honour of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, whom the BBC described as a 'Hero of Independence' and an 'international symbol of freedom as the leader of the first black African country to shake off the chains of colonial rule'. An academic, Mamdani Senior, whose specialisation includes colonialism and post-colonialism, was born in pre-Independence Bombay to Gujarati Shia Muslim parents, who later migrated to Kampala, Uganda. He would, after coming to study in the United States in the '60s, participate in the civil rights movement, and would also be jailed. It wouldn't be amiss to say that a lot of Zohran Mamdani's politics has been shaped by his parents'. In 2013, for instance, Mira Nair had turned down an invitation to the Haifa International Film Festival in Israel as a guest of honour. On what was then called Twitter, and is now X, she posted: 'I will go to Israel when the walls come down. I will go to Israel when occupation is gone... I stand w/ Palestine for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel…' The mayor probable's parents, incidentally, met in Uganda while Nair was researching for Mississippi Masala, and that's where he was born in 1991 – coincidentally, the year the film was released. The couple immigrated to the US when he was seven. Earlier this year, Zohran Mamdani married Syrian-American artist Rama Duwaji, whose work, besides exploring migration, heritage, community and identity, also draws to pro-Palestinian themes. The arts have been Mamdani's constant companion – not just because of his filmmaker mother and artist wife. He is a former rapper. Nine years ago, he released an EP, titled 'Sidda Mukyaalo' (Luganda for 'No going back to the village'), along with Ugandan rapper HAB. And in 2019 came a single, titled 'Nani' – a tribute to his maternal grandmother, Praveen Nair, rich with cultural references to India. It featured the multifaceted actor and cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey as a revolutionary 'nani'. This video can be found on the YouTube channel called 'Mr Cardamom', a moniker Mamdani gave himself. It's a clever sobriquet, given that he is a lawmaker from Queens, and cardamom is recognised as the 'queen of spices'. It is a versatile spice, one that works both in sweet and savoury preparations, and while it is never the core ingredient, it always makes its presence known. Mamdani has also made the world sit up and take note. In 2019, when he first ran for office (New York State Assembly), he redirected his followers from 'Mr Cardamom' to his official handle on X with this message: 'You know I'll be forever spicy but I'm taking a break from being a spice to answer the question of what happens when a B-list rapper runs for office….'. His official handle now has something like 376,000 followers, whereas Mr Cardamom is at 380. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has gone after Mamdani through his social media platform, Truth Social, branding him a '100 per cent communist lunatic' and saying that 'the Democrats have crossed the line'. The rapper-turned-politician, however, is staying the course. In November, if he is elected New York City's mayor, one of the things he'll be doing is to oversee the largest municipal Budget in the US.
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
From The Namesake to Vanity Fair: 6 books that inspired Mira Nair's films and series
Filmmaker Mira Nair has long brought stories of identity and migration to the screen, some adapted from renowned literary works. As her son, Zohran Mamdani, makes headlines after defeating Andrew Cuomo in New York City's mayoral primary, it is worth revisiting the books that shaped Nair's cinematic legacy. From postcolonial satire to diaspora, these six books explore themes of belongingness. They continue to resonate with readers across generations—a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of identity and culture. From Calcutta to Cambridge, The Namesake follows the life of the Ganguli family. Ashoke Ganguli, an engineer, adapts to his new life. While, his wife Ashima remains emotionally attached to home. Their son is named Gogol, after a Russian writer. Gogol's name, much like himself, is an identity in limbo, never fully American, never truly Indian. Adapted into a film by Mira Nair of the same title, this novel shows the discomfort of belonging nowhere and the slow, aching journey toward becoming your own person. A biting portrait of ambition and hypocrisy of British society. Vanity Fair (Wordsworth Editions Ltd, 720 pages, Rs 435) shows two women on opposite ends of the moral scale. Becky Sharp, an orphan, with wit and ambition. And, Amelia Sedley, her sheltered, sentimental schoolmate. This book lays bare a society obsessed with status, exposing its vanity through the rise and fall of its unforgettable characters. Vanity Fair is a perfect portrayal of a world so obsessed with status that ambition is the only way up. No wonder Mira Nair chose to bring this book to screen. The true-story Disney film The Queen of Katwe (Scribner, 245 pages, Rs 1,324), directed by Mira Nair, is based on a book by Tim Cothers. In the slums of Katwe, Uganda, where finding food is a daily struggle, Phiona Mutesi discovers an unexpected lifeline- chess. She is taught by a war refugee turned coach. Our protagonist learns the game barefoot on a dirt floor. And she rises to become a national champion by age fifteen. The Queen of Katwe is the powerful true story of a girl who defies every odd stacked against her, proving that greatness can come from the unlikeliest places. Told as a monologue in a Lahore cafe. This novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Penguin India, 168 pages, Rs 250) shows the life of Changez, a Pakistani man who once chased the American dream. Then he begins to question everything after the 9/11 attacks. Changez begins to feel the slow erosion of identity and belongingness in a post-9/11 world. Adapted into a thriller by Mira Nair, it is a sharp and deliberately unsettling book. It poses a serious question- What happens when the world no longer sees you as one of its own? Set in the newly independent India of the 1950s, A Suitable Boy (Aleph Book Company, 1,552 pages, Rs 1999) is part love story, part political story. Lata Mehra, a young woman navigating family pressure and personal desire as her mother, Rupa Mehra, searches for a suitable husband for her. Sprawling across four interconnected families, the novel weaves together love, caste, religion and politics. It's a story of ordinary lives caught between tradition and change. Mira Nair adapted this into her BBC series of the same title. A mysterious royal claim, a crumbling palace and a reporter drawn into the story. The New York Times article The Jungle Prince of Delhi by Ellen Barry, follows the strange story of Begum Wilayat Mahal, who declared herself the queen of Oudh in the 1970s. She demanded lands from a kingdom that no longer existed. Barry's bond with Wilayat's son, Cyrus, leads her deep into the family's world. Through interviews and investigation, Barry reveals a tale shaped by Partition and a desperate need to belong. A haunting true story, which is now being adapted into Mira Nair's new series. (The writer is an intern with
The Hindu
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
NYC Mayor nominee Zohran Mamdani persuaded mother Mira Nair to turn down ‘Harry Potter', cast Kal Penn in ‘The Namesake'
Zohran Mamdani, the Indian-origin democratic socialist set to become the Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor, has influenced the world of cinema in ways you wouldn't expect. Mamdani, the son of acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, has played a key role in his mother's career, having even persuaded her to turn down an opportunity to direct a Harry Potter film. At the 2018 Jaipur Literature Festival, Nair revealed that Warner Bros. had approached her to direct Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix after seeing her 2004's Vanity Fair. Mira, at that time, was set to helm The Namesake, the film adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's bestseller of the same name. The project was personal to Mira, as she had just lost her mother-in-law to malpractice in a New York hospital. 'I was deep in that melancholy. That's what inspired me to make The Namesake, because Jhumpa had written in it of this terrible melancholy of losing a parent in a foreign country, which is exactly what I was experiencing,' Variety quoted Nair. However, turning down a Harry Potter film wasn't easy; after all, her son, Mamdani, had learned to read from the 'Harry Potter' books. So she turned to him for guidance. 'He said to me, 'Mama, many good directors can make Harry Potter, but only you can make The Namesake.' Mamdani's role in the making of The Namesake didn't end there. Fascinatingly, Nair has also stated that it was her son who convinced her to cast Kal Penn in the film. 'I was chasing movie stars for Gogol's role. And he (Mamdani) said, 'Mama, you have to watch Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.' I looked at the poster and thought 'how can I like this goofy guy?'' But she watched it — because Mamdani said so — and took a liking to Penn's performance in the stoner comedy. 'I then asked to see him (Penn), and then he got the part because he was the genuine article. Because he was raised in the country, and he was exactly in that sense, Gogol.' And that is how Penn, an actor who was only doing comedy roles, landed a dramatic, serious role in The Namesake. 'Zohran constantly gives me such advice. I always definitely hear him when we talk about the story I'm making, or who I'm thinking of, or who's good, or who's not,' added Nair. Notably, according to Variety, Mamdani has also worked as a third assistant director and music supervisor in Nair's Queen of Katwe. He's also been credited for playing Bookie Student in the 2016 film, apart from performing a rap song titled '#1 Spice,' under the moniker Young Cardamom, for the film's soundtrack.
Hans India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
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.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
How Mira Nair's Son Zohran Mamdani Convinced Her To Direct The Namesake Instead Of The Fifth Harry Potter Movie
New Delhi: Zohran Mamdani, son of award-winning Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, recently declared victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. He took to X, to express his joy as he wrote, "In the words of Nelson Mandela; it always seems impossible until it's done. My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honoured to be your Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City." Amid his glorious feat, what has resurfaced is an old quote by Mira Nair, where she spoke about how her son had convinced her to direct the fifth installment of the Harry Potter franchise instead of The Namesake. What's Happening Filmmaker Mira Nair's son Zohran Mamdani has won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City. Amid the ongoing celebrations, an old interview of Mira Nair with Vir Sanghvi at the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2018 has resurfaced. In the interview, she is heard saying how she was considered to direct Harry Potter's fifth part titled Order of the Phoenix, but her son Zohran changed her mind. She said, "I turned down the offer as I was deep into directing Vanity Fair. I lost my mother-in-law who was like a mother due to medical malpractice in New York. I was deep in melancholy. But at that time, I read The Namesake, the beautiful novel by Jhumpa Lahiri. It was also about the death of a parent. I then decided to make a film on it. I then got an offer to direct Harry Potter." This was the same time Mira Nair read Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake, and fell in love with it. She further revealed how her son was a huge potterhead since childhood. The Harry Potter books were how he was introduced to the world of reading. Hence, she questioned the matter in hand, if she should go ahead with the film adaptation of a book that matters more to her son, or the one that holds more value to herself. Upon asking her 14-year-old son, the response she got was, "He told me there are many good directors who can make Harry Potter, but there is only one director who can make Namesake." Not only that, but Zohran also convinced his mother to cast Kal Penn in the role of Gogol, because he was a huge fan of his work in the 2004 film Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. About The Namesake The Namesake was adapted from Jhumpa Lahiri's book with the same title. The plot revolves around the character Gogol Ganguli, the son of Bengali immigrants Ashoke (Irrfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu) in America. The story then unravels to showcase how Gogol struggles to find his actual identity as he grapples with two different cultures. In A Nutshell As Mira Nair's son Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, an old interaction of the filmmaker has resurfaced. She revealed how her son played a crucial role in convincing her to direct The Namesake when she was also approached to helm the fifth installment in the Harry Potter franchise.
