Zohran Mamdani is the name on everyone’s lips right now — and for good reason. Yesterday, he was officially confirmed as the next mayor of New York City after winning the 2025 election in a landslide victory.
Mamdani becomes the first Muslim and first person of South Asian heritage to ever serve as NYC’s mayor, and he earned more votes than every other candidate — including Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa — put together.
At just 34, he will be the youngest NYC mayor in more than a century. Yet only a year ago, he was barely known outside local activist circles.
During his victory speech outside the Brooklyn Paramount, Mamdani emphasized New York’s identity as a city built by immigrants:
“New York will remain a city of immigrants — built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and now, led by an immigrant.”
He also directed a bold message toward President Donald Trump, telling the cheering crowd:
“Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up!”
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, is the son of acclaimed Indian-American director Mira Nair — the filmmaker behind Monsoon Wedding and Salaam Bombay! And it turns out his connection to the film world goes even further: Mamdani actually appeared in a Disney movie nine years ago.
In 2016, he worked on Disney’s Queen of Katwe, a drama about Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi.
Not only did Mamdani serve as third assistant director and music supervisor, he also acted in the film in a small part credited as “Bookie Student.”
He even performed a rap track for the movie’s soundtrack under the stage name Young Cardamom — the song #1 Spice.
Mamdani had influence behind the scenes in other ways as well. His mother revealed in 2018 that it was her son who convinced her to decline an offer to direct a Harry Potter film for Warner Bros., encouraging her to instead create The Namesake.
“He told me, ‘Mama, many directors can make Harry Potter — but only you can make The Namesake.’”
Now, Mamdani enters office facing significant national attention and pressure, particularly from Donald Trump.
Throughout the campaign, the two exchanged frequent criticism — a clash Mamdani continued in his acceptance speech:
“If any city can show a country betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that produced him.”
“This is how we stop Trump — and the next one. So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, turn the volume up.”
Shortly after the vote was called, Trump posted on Truth Social:
“…AND SO IT BEGINS!”