New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has watched this Sanjay Dutt movie atleast 16 times. Mom Mira Nair names the movies he grew up obsessing over

Zohran Mamdani, the New York City’s youngest and first Indian-American Muslim mayor-elect, has a cinematic side that has grabbed the spotlight. Growing up, Bollywood wasn’t just background noise for Mamdani—it was a ritual, a passion, and a lens into family and culture. His mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, recently shared how certain films shaped his childhood, revealing a love for Sanjay Dutt’s Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Zoya Akhtar’s Luck by Chance, and a delayed but deep connection with Mississippi Masala.

Mira Nair, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, revealed that Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. was Mamdani’s ultimate comfort movie. He watched it at least 16 times with his grandfather and family, more than anyone else in the household. Alongside it, he obsessively followed Luck by Chance, even learning to recite scenes backwards. Mississippi Masala, though initially overlooked, became a profound discovery in his teenage years, resonating with him because it reflected his own roots in Kampala and the narrative of his family’s life. Once he saw it, he couldn’t stop watching.

Bollywood influence in politics

Mamdani’s victory celebrations mirrored his Bollywood upbringing. At the moment of triumph, the iconic track “Dhoom Machale” from the movie Dhoom played as he addressed his supporters. Amid the cheers, he shared a heartfelt moment with his wife, Rama Duwaji, and was joined on stage by his parents, Mira Nair and Ugandan scholar Mahmood Mamdani. The combination of political history and cinematic flair instantly grabbed attention online.

Bollywood references weren’t limited to his celebration. One of Mamdani’s campaign videos recreated the legendary Amitabh Bachchan scene from the 1975 classic Deewar. In it, Bachchan’s iconic dialogue listing buildings, cars, and bank balances was met with Mamdani’s confident, playful reply: “Aap”—a nod to Shah Rukh Khan’s memorable pose.

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Mira Nair emphasised that these cinematic touches were entirely Mamdani’s idea, reflecting a childhood steeped in films and global cultures. Fluent in multiple languages, he naturally blends charisma with showmanship, making his political rise feel almost scripted, like his favorite movies.