NYC Mayor nominee Zohran Mamdani persuaded mother Mira Nair to turn down ‘Harry Potter', cast Kal Penn in ‘The Namesake'
Zohran Mamdani, the Indian-origin democratic socialist set to become the Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor, has influenced the world of cinema in ways you wouldn't expect. Mamdani, the son of acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, has played a key role in his mother's career, having even persuaded her to turn down an opportunity to direct a Harry Potter film.
At the 2018 Jaipur Literature Festival, Nair revealed that Warner Bros. had approached her to direct Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix after seeing her 2004's Vanity Fair. Mira, at that time, was set to helm The Namesake, the film adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's bestseller of the same name. The project was personal to Mira, as she had just lost her mother-in-law to malpractice in a New York hospital.
'I was deep in that melancholy. That's what inspired me to make The Namesake, because Jhumpa had written in it of this terrible melancholy of losing a parent in a foreign country, which is exactly what I was experiencing,' Variety quoted Nair.
However, turning down a Harry Potter film wasn't easy; after all, her son, Mamdani, had learned to read from the 'Harry Potter' books. So she turned to him for guidance. 'He said to me, 'Mama, many good directors can make Harry Potter, but only you can make The Namesake.'
Mamdani's role in the making of The Namesake didn't end there. Fascinatingly, Nair has also stated that it was her son who convinced her to cast Kal Penn in the film. 'I was chasing movie stars for Gogol's role. And he (Mamdani) said, 'Mama, you have to watch Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.' I looked at the poster and thought 'how can I like this goofy guy?''
But she watched it — because Mamdani said so — and took a liking to Penn's performance in the stoner comedy. 'I then asked to see him (Penn), and then he got the part because he was the genuine article. Because he was raised in the country, and he was exactly in that sense, Gogol.' And that is how Penn, an actor who was only doing comedy roles, landed a dramatic, serious role in The Namesake.
'Zohran constantly gives me such advice. I always definitely hear him when we talk about the story I'm making, or who I'm thinking of, or who's good, or who's not,' added Nair.
Notably, according to Variety, Mamdani has also worked as a third assistant director and music supervisor in Nair's Queen of Katwe. He's also been credited for playing Bookie Student in the 2016 film, apart from performing a rap song titled '#1 Spice,' under the moniker Young Cardamom, for the film's soundtrack.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Sardaar Ji 3': After demands for revoking citizenship, Diljit Dosanjh gets support from BJP, DSGMC
Jalandhar: Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh , who has been under fire for his film 'Sardaar Ji 3' starring Pakistan actor Hania Aamir, has gotten support from BJP national spokesperson R P Singh and former DSGMC chief Manjit Singh G K. In a post on his X account on Friday R P Singh described Dosanjh as "a national asset and a global ambassador of Indian culture" as he slammed the Federation of Western India Cine Employees for demanding action against the celebrity. "FWICE's call to revoke his Indian citizenship over an inadvertent and pre-incident film shoot is not only unfair but shockingly disproportionate. The film featuring a Pakistani actress was shot before the Pahalgam attack. If there is anguish, it can be expressed through a boycott or by urging that the film not be screened in India. But attacking Diljit's patriotism and demanding such an extreme step is simply irrational," he wrote. R P Singh pointed out that the Indian cricket team played a match against Pakistan just days before the Pahalgam massacre. "Did FWICE or others object then? TV news channels routinely invite Pakistani guests to boost TRPs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Should those anchors now relinquish their citizenship too? Let's not cheapen nationalism or weaponise patriotism. FWICE should reconsider its stance—such targeting of our own talent only weakens our moral standing," he added. Punjabi actor and BJP culture cell convener Hobby Dhaliwal, too, extended support to Diljit at a press conference at the party's Chandigarh office. Dhaliwal said that Diljit was not just an artist but a globally respected face of Punjabi culture. "At a time of national tension, attempts are being made to defame him with baseless allegations. This is unfortunate and condemnable," he said. "Diljit is the son of this soil. Punjab stands with him—and India too," Dhaliwal said, while being flanked by Punjab BJP media cell in-charge Vineet Joshi. He expressed regret that certain elements were now demanding the cancellation of his citizenship and a ban on his films. He felt the demand was not only unjustified, but politically motivated and entirely baseless. "Every citizen is patriotic, but using this as a pretext to target a single artist is wrong. BJP stands firmly with Diljit Dosanjh," he added. Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Manjit Singh GK too issued a statement in his support and questioned what he called the "selective targeting" of Diljit. He said the way Diljit was being targeted appeared like an "undeclared emergency". "He represented the country and Punjab, and has become an icon," G K said. He also questioned the silence of the present DSGMC leadership. On the other hand, singer Mika Singh came under attack from the X handle @Tractor2twitr_P, which is popular for its stance on pro-farmer issues in Punjab and Haryana. "Weeks before the Uri attack, @MikaSingh flew to Karachi to sing at the wedding of a billionaire who was a close aide of Parvez Musharraf, the mastermind of the Kargil war. Today he is lecturing @diljitdosanjh for acting alongside a Pakistani artist in a film produced, directed, and cast by someone else," read a post on the handle.
India.com
37 minutes ago
- India.com
This movie was rejected by Jeetendra, another superstar did it, became huge blockbuster, earned Rs..., lead actor is...
Far from the typical city sets and bustling studios, a cinematic journey unfolded in the serene outskirts of Nepal. At its center was a beloved megastar, not once or twice, but thrice, portraying three distinct characters that added layers to an already intriguing storyline. This film, blending drama with suspense, kept its narrative close to nature and away from mainstream locations, making it visually and emotionally unique. With the actor's triple avatar stealing the show, it became a talking point among cinephiles. One Of The Finest Experiments In The History Of Indian Cinema: Mahaan Here we are talking about 1983 film, Mahaan, starring the legendary superstar, Amitabh Bachchan. This film is still a topic of discussion among cinema lovers. In this film, Amitabh played the only triple role of his career, which surprised the audience. Mahaan was an action-thriller-comedy film, directed by S. Ramanathan and produced by Satyanarayana and Suryanarayana. It was an official remake of the 1978 Kannada film Shankar Guru, starring legendary actor Late Dr. Rajkumar. The film featured stars like Waheeda Rehman, Zeenat Aman, Late Parveen Babi, Late Ashok Kumar, Late Amjad Khan and Late Kader Khan. But did you know that Amitabh was not the first choice for the makers? Mahaan Initially Offered To Jumping Jack Of Bollywood, Jeetendra Bollywood's 'Jumping Jack,' Jeetendra, was initially offered a triple role for the film, but due to his busy schedule, Amitabh was chosen. The story of the film was a mix of a lawyer's life, crime and family drama. Although some critics criticized it for over-acting and weak direction but, for Amitabh's fans, this film was a unique example of his acting. Mahaan further strengthened Amitabh's star power in that era, and even today it is counted among the memorable films of his career. The Bugdet Of This Experimental Triple Treble Mahaan was made on a budget of only Rs 3 crore, which was a moderate budget for those times. But the film did wonders at the box office and grossed around Rs 8 crore. The film was a golden jubilee hit in South India and achieved silver jubilee status in the rest of India. R.D. Burman's music also added to the popularity of the film, with songs like 'Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli', 'Ye Din Toh Aata Hai Ek Din Jawaani Mein' and 'Jidhar Dekhoon Teri Tasveer' still remembered today by retro lovers. Interestingly, a part of the film was shot in Nepal, where a crowd of thousands gathered to see the 'Mahanayak of Indian Cinema.' The beautiful valleys of Nepal made the film more attractive, especially its climax shots.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Made for Rs 2 crore, this film is huge flop, left behind movies like Housefull 5, Adipurush, and Sikander, is being trolled for…, movie is…, lead actors are…
Recently, the trailer of a film is making people laugh a lot on the internet. Netizens are making fun of it and saying, 'This is worse than Adipurush.' However, it is a Pakistani film which was released at a time when there is tension between India and Pakistan. The tension between the two countries has not reduced yet, due to which the ban on Pakistani artists continues in India. At such a time, it seems that this film itself is inviting trolling. Parwaaz Hai Junoon Here we are talking about 2018 film, 'Parwaaz Hai Junoon', It was produced by Momina Duraid and directed by Haseeb Hassan. But recently it is being criticized after it went viral again. Starring Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahad Raza Mir and Hania Aamir in lead roles, the film depicted the Pakistan Air Force. Some people romanticized life, love stories and sacrifices in a war-like setting. It failed to instill patriotism and was subjected to brutal trolling. Worst Quality Of VFX The grand scenes in this film showing Pakistani soldiers as heroes and victorious in war have angered the audience. Many netizens are reacting that this is actually a far-fetched idea. One wrote, 'Pakistan has not won a single war till now, so why all these grand things?' they are protesting. One wrote, 'There should be a disclaimer that this film has nothing to do with reality.' One quipped, 'The VFX budget of this film is less than even a typical Indian web series.' Some people are laughing that the fighter planes look like they have been taken from a 90s video game and called it Tom Cruise' Top Gun ki cheap copy. The Budget Of This Aerial Action Thriller As per reports, the film was made for Rs 12 crore and it collected Rs 28 crore. It had a strong opening, earning Rs. 2.13 crore worldwide on day one. It collected Rs. 5.45 crore in two days, Rs. 8.74 crore in three days, and Rs. 12.68 crore in four days. By the end of its first week, it reached Rs. 18.18 crore globally. In its second week, it broke records with Rs. 28.12 crore. The film features several of Pakistan's most beloved actors, such as Hamza Abbasi, Ahad Raza Mir, and Hania Aamir, who has recently found herself at the center of a controversy. The young actress was poised to make her Bollywood debut alongside Diljit Dosanjh in the already postponed film. Sardaar Ji 3, for which the trailer was unveiled on Sunday. However, due to the tensions following the Pahalgam attacks and Operation Sindoor, the casting has encountered significant backlash, resulting in this third installment of the Sardaar Ji series being released only in theaters abroad.
