Kangana targets Mira Nair’s son Zohran Mamdani after New York primary win

Indian actress and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut has stirred controversy by questioning the cultural identity of Zohran Mamdani, an Indian-origin politician who recently won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.

Reacting to the news of Mamdani’s victory, Ranaut posted on social media, “Zohran sounds more Pakistani than Indian. Whatever happened to his Hindu identity… now he is ready to wipe out Hinduism.”

While she congratulated his parents — filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani — her remarks triggered sharp reactions online, with many accusing her of stoking communal and identity-based rhetoric.

Zohran Mamdani, 33, currently serves as a New York State Assemblyman from Queens. Born in Uganda, raised in New York, and a naturalized US citizen since 2018, Mamdani identifies as a Democratic Socialist and ran on a progressive platform that includes fare-free public buses, a rent freeze, city-run grocery stores, and public childcare.

He defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the crowded Democratic field with roughly 43–44% of first-choice votes. If elected in November, Mamdani would become NYC’s first Muslim and Indian-American mayor.

While Mamdani has not responded to Ranaut’s comments, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi also joined in the criticism, saying, “When Zohran Mamdani opens his mouth, Pakistan’s PR team takes the day off. India doesn’t need enemies with ‘allies’ like him shouting fiction from New York.”

Ranaut’s remarks appear to stem from Mamdani’s vocal support for Palestinian rights, criticism of Hindu nationalism, and his broader alignment with leftist politics — positions that have previously drawn the ire of right-leaning voices in India.

Despite the backlash, Mamdani’s campaign continues to receive widespread support from immigrant communities, working-class voters, and progressive groups across the city.