Zohran Mamdani elected as the new Mayor of New York City; Zoya Akhtar, Ishaan Khatter and others congratulate

Zohran Mamdani was declared the winner of the New York City mayoral election, marking a historic ascent for the 34-year-old politician of Indian and Ugandan heritage. Indian film industry came forward with congratulatory messages as Zohran Mamdani prepares to assume office on January 1.

Zoya Akhtar led the way with social media love, dropping a string of celebratory emojis on his Instagram post. She also posted on her Instagram stories, “Zohran You Beauty... @pagliji This is for you pagliji”, addressing Zohran Mamdani and his mother Mira Nair in a warm, affectionate tone. Meanwhile, actor Ishaan Khatter added in the comments, “you go brother. May your goodness never fade.”

Zohran Mamdani shared a video from the City Hall subway station, banner-text reading “Zohran For New York City,” symbolising his victory and the next chapter in the city’s history. With his win, he becomes the first Muslim mayor of the Big Apple, the first person of South Asian and African origin in the post, and the youngest in over a century.

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Zohran Mamdani’s background reads like a global tapestry. He was born on October 18, 1991 in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani. He moved to New York in his schooling years and became a US citizen in 2018. A representative of Queens’ 36th District in the New York State Assembly since 2020, Zohran championed progressive policies such as freezing stabilised rents, fare-free public transit, and raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030.