New York City mayoral candidateZohran Mamdanihas ties to the entertainment industry and the movie world. His mother isIndian-American filmmaker Mira Nair,who directed the Cannes Golden Lion-winning film Monsoon Wedding (2001) andthe Oscar-nominatedSalaam Bombay!, starring Irrfan Khan. Nair has also spoken about how her son has influenced her career.
This includes him helping her with casting choices and even convincing her to turn down what could have been amassive directorial opportunity for her career,when he suggestedshe pass on directing a Harry Potter film.Also, thanks to his mother’s connections, Mamdani appeared in the 2016 Disney movieQueen of Katwe.
Zohran Mamdani Appeared In The Disney Movie Queen Of Katwe
Zohran Mamdani Played ‘Bookie Student’
Released in 2016,Queen of Katwefollows a 10-year-old girl named Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) from rural Uganda. The story shows how shelearned how to play chess as a childand became a Woman Candidate Master after winning at the World Chess Olympiad. She became one of the first titled female players in Ugandan chess history.
The movie was adapted from an ESPN magazine article, which was also the focus of a book by Tim Crothers.Disney and ESPN Films co-producedthe movie, and Mira Nair directed it. It debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and in theaters in late 2016. The film earned several award nominations for the cast and crew.
Zohran Mamdani played the character “Bookie Student” inQueen of Katwe.
The main stars were Madina Nalwanga as Phiona, Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther) as her mother Nakku, and David Oyelowo (Selma) as the man who taught her chess. Mamdani also worked on the movie, both behind the scenes and in a small cameo appearance. He played “Bookie Student” in the film.
As for his work on the crew, he was credited as the third assistant director and music supervisor. Other than working as the music supervisor, he also performeda rap song on the soundtrack, “#1 Spice,“under the name Young Cardamom. They also released it as a music video, with HAB and Lupita Nyong’o, and his mother directing.
Zohran Mamdani Also Convinced His Mother To Turn Down Directing Harry Potter
Mamdani Told His Mother To MakeThe NakesakeInstead
Zohran Mamdani also had some pull with his mother’s other career choices. Mira Nair did an interview at the 2018 Jaipur Literature Festival and talked about Warner Bros.offering her the chance to directHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.She said that it was Mamdani who convinced her to turn downHarry Potter(viaVariety).
“I was deep in that melancholy. That’s what inspired me to make ‘The Namesake,’ because Jhumpa [Lahiri] had written in it of this terrible melancholy of losing a parent in a foreign country, which is exactly what I was experiencing.”
Nair then said her son learned to read fromHarry Potterbooks. She asked him if she should give upThe Namesaketo makeHarry Potter,and he gave her the best advice. “He said to me, ‘Mama, many good directors can make ‘Harry Potter,’ but only you can make ‘The Namesake.'”
Nair also said that it wasZohran Mamdaniwhoconvinced her to hire Kal PennforThe Namesake.Nair said she was looking at big names, but Mamdani told her to watchHarold and Kumar Go to White Castle,and Kumar’s performance in that movie convinced her.“It was such a valuable, beautiful piece of advice,” Nair said.
Queen of Katwe
Cast
An uplifting biographical drama that follows the incredible journey of Phiona Mutesi, a young girl from the slums of Katwe, Uganda. When Phiona discovers her extraordinary talent for chess through a local missionary and coach, Robert Katende, her life takes an unexpected turn. Despite the immense challenges posed by poverty and societal norms, Phiona’s dedication and natural skill propel her to national and international chess tournaments.
