Kangana Ranaut Questions Zohran Mamdani’s Identity After NYC Mayoral Primary Win, Sparks Debate

New Delhi: Actor-turned-BJP politician Kangana Ranaut, on Thursday, June 26, launched a scathing attack Indian-origin politician Zohran Mamdani following his recent victory in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kangana questioned Zohran’s Indian identity and accused him of being part of a wider plot to “wipe out Hinduism.”

In her tweet, Kangana wrote, “His mother is Mira Nair, one of our best filmmakers… son is named Zohran, he sounds more Pakistani than Indian… whatever happened to his Hindu identity or bloodline and now he is ready to wipe out Hinduism, wow!!” She went on to congratulate Nair and her husband Mahmood Mamdani on their son’s political success, even while casting aspersions on his religious roots.

Zohran, a 33-year-old democratic socialist and New York State Assembly member, recently defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the primary, positioning himself to become New York’s first Muslim mayor.

Born in Uganda to filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran relocated to New York when he was seven. He became a naturalised American citizen in 2018 and tied the knot with a Syrian artist earlier this year.

Before stepping into politics, he worked as a housing counsellor, assisting low-income families in resisting evictions. Zohran studied Africana Studies at Bowdoin College and briefly dabbled in rap music and writing before fully committing to public service. In 2020, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he identifies as a democratic socialist.

His campaign focused on grassroots issues like housing and affordability, proposing a flat 2% tax on individuals earning over $1 million to fund rent caps and lower grocery costs. He was endorsed by progressive leaders including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.