From rap career to politics, Zohran Mamdani is shaking up New York city politics

The Hindu

11 hours ago

Zohran Mamdani is 33. He met his wife Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-born illustrator, on Hinge, a dating app. While grocery shopping, he listens to an hour-long auto-tuned version 'One Pound Fish' by a Bangladeshi man trying to sell fish in London's Queen's Market. His parents are filmmakers Mira Nair and Columbia professor Mahmood Mamdani. He went by 'Mr. Cardamom' when he had a rap career. Mamdani's campaign promises include freezing rent, making public transport free, and subdising grocery stores. He also has a chantable, two-syllable name. 'Zoh-ran' 'Zoh-ran' seems to have a nice ring to it. Facts. So many facts off the top of my head.
On June 24, when he won the democratic primary against his opponent Andrew Cuomo Rohan Joshi, an Indian stand-up comic and content creator, suggested in an Instagram reel that we go out to hug our South Bombay friends who were enthusiastically celebrating his victory in the democratic primary — a portion of the New York Mayoral elections. The chronically-online Indian millennial and Gen Z audience suddenly seemed to know far more about Mamdani and voting in New York than facts about their own Members of Parliament.
All this, and the guy isn't even mayor yet.
What about him has captured the fancy of a young Indian voter base that rarely gets out to vote and cannot name the Member of Legislative Assembly representing their constituency?
Is it his A) humble and relatable off-the-rack suit, tie and Casio demeanour B) several hundred Hindi references, appealing to the Indian diaspora C) work with communities including the Blacks, gays and the immigrant population? D) simple good looks and youth or E) ability to use public transport and walk long distances. (You are allowed to choose over one option).
Politico says, 'Critics scoffed at the 33-year-old democratic socialist's pie-in-the-sky agenda. And then he trounced everyone.'
I'd like to think that Mamdani has struck a chord with young voters globally because he knows how to work social media. His Instagram reels speak to a generation that seeks what he promises: affordable housing, free transport and decent use of taxpayer money. They also want to see their pestilent youth represented in the office. It's why Mamdani's campaign deliberately uses clear fonts and easy chants in colours the Gen Z loves. I now know how much food at a halal cart costs even though I have never set foot in America, let alone eaten at one.
While he is now being hailed as Lenin's second coming in liberal circles that are finally coming into their polity, skeptics wonder if his policies will even work in today's age. It's the optimism that works in his favour though.
Despite these several opinions, I wonder what I will do with as much information about Mamdani and his campaign. Considering I will never vote there, will I shut this information in the brainrot corner of my head, or will it inform how I envision politics transforming in my own country? Elections in India are not won because of social media but dramatically influenced by it. Only last year, during the Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be seen rubbing shoulders with influencers. With only one year to go for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, one can see the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Bharatiya Janata Party's IT wings buzzing. Going by evidence from previous elections, it seems like politicians will only use social media to promote supercuts of their fan edits. It is unlikely that they will harness the tool to not just speak, but also connect and elicit a response from the audience. But 10 months is too soon to tell.
For now, I have little choice. I will go to bed thinking of what it must be to eat Mamdani's promised eight dollar chicken on rice at the several halal carts outside Central Park, drinking iced coffee in the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, with a byline that someday ends at New York, New York.
Level up
Zaddy: You might think this is some interesting portmanteau that Gen Z came up with but it really is just what it sounds like, a sexy, charismatic daddy who is usually older. Now you know why Zohran is called Mamzaddy.
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