Zohran Mamdani had hidden Disney movie cameo 9 years ago
Zohran Mamdani has been confirmed as the next mayor of New York City after a landslide victory in the 2025 election. At 34, he becomes the city’s first Muslim mayor, its first of South Asian heritage, and its youngest leader in over a century.
His win was decisive, with Mamdani securing more votes than all other candidates combined, including Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. This is a remarkable achievement for a figure who was largely unknown to the public just a year ago.
In his victory speech at the Brooklyn Paramount, Mamdani celebrated New York’s immigrant identity. He declared the city would remain “a city of immigrants, built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”
He then directly challenged former President Donald Trump. To a cheering crowd, he delivered a defiant message: “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up!”
Mamdani has surprising connections to the film industry. He is the son of acclaimed director Mira Nair and appeared in her 2016 Disney film, *Queen of Katwe*. He served as a third assistant director and had a small acting role.
He also contributed to the film’s soundtrack, performing a rap song under the stage name Young Cardamom. Furthermore, he once influenced his mother’s career, convincing her to turn down a *Harry Potter* film to direct *The Namesake* instead.
His victory sets the stage for a contentious political relationship. Trump responded on Truth Social with the ominous phrase, “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”, signaling a fierce political battle ahead.
