When 14-Year-Old Zohran Mamdani Helped Mira Nair Choose Between Harry Potter 4 & The Namesake
Zohran Mamdani creates history as New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. Mira Nair recalls how her son once inspired her to choose The Namesake.
In a landmark political moment, Zohran Mamdani has been elected as the 111th Mayor of New York City, becoming the city’s first Muslim and first person of South Asian descent to hold the position in its 400-year history.
The 33-year-old politician, son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and renowned academic Mahmood Mamdani, secured a decisive win on Tuesday, marking a monumental shift in the city’s political landscape.
A Historic Win for Representation
Born in Uganda and raised in New York, Mamdani’s victory is being hailed as a defining one for the city’s progressive politics. Representing the left wing of the Democratic Party, he defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani, who previously served as a state lawmaker, promised to empower the working class and stand up to a hostile Trump administration. His campaign focused on social justice, housing, and equitable governance—resonating with a diverse voter base eager for change.
Before entering politics, Mamdani’s journey was eclectic—he attended Bronx High School of Science and Bowdoin College, dabbled in rap music, worked on his mother’s films, and later served as a foreclosure-prevention counselor at a non-profit named Chhaya.
Mira Nair’s Harry Potter Dilemma — and Her Son’s Wise Words
While Mamdani’s political rise has made headlines, an interesting chapter from his teenage years once helped shape his mother’s cinematic legacy.
During the 2018 Jaipur Literature Festival, Mira Nair revealed she had been offered to direct Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire after her success with Vanity Fair. However, she was already committed to The Namesake.
“I also turned down Harry Potter. They saw Vanity Fair and they thought, well, they’d had a big success with Alfonso Cuaron making Harry Potter 3 so why not get the third-world rainbow coalition making Harry Potter 4,” she said.
She shared how the decision weighed heavily on her, until young Zohran stepped in. “I asked my 14-year-old son what should I do and he said to me, ‘mama many good directors can make Harry Potter but only you can make The Namesake’,” Mira recalled. “It was such a liberating and clarifying statement.”
A Journey Rooted in Purpose
Today, that same clarity defines Mamdani’s political journey. From his mother’s film sets to New York City Hall, his story symbolizes ambition, resilience, and representation—values that reflect both his heritage and his promise to reshape one of the world’s most iconic cities.
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