Zohran Mamdani Becomes NYC’s Youngest Mayor in a Century
Zohran Mamdani is the talk of New York after winning the 2025 mayoral election by a landslide, becoming the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor at just 34. Once relatively unknown, the Democratic Socialist now leads the city after defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa with more votes than all rivals combined.
At his victory rally outside the Brooklyn Paramount, Mamdani declared, “New York will remain a city of immigrants — built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and now led by an immigrant.” He also took a jab at President Donald Trump, saying, “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching — turn the volume up!”
The son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay!), Mamdani has film roots of his own. He worked on Disney’s Queen of Katwe (2016) as a music supervisor, assistant director, and even acted in a small role, performing a rap song, “#1 Spice,” under the name Young Cardamom.
Nair once credited her son with convincing her to turn down a Harry Potter directing offer, telling her, “Many can make Harry Potter, but only you can make The Namesake.”
Now, as he steps into office amid tensions with President Trump, Mamdani says New York will lead by example: “If any city can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it’s the one that gave rise to him.”