Overview
- Right-leaning outlets highlighted a 2013 interview in which filmmaker Mira Nair called her son Zohran Mamdani “a total desi” who is “not an American at all” and said the family were “not firangs.”
- Commentators debated the language, with GOP consultant Mehek Cooke describing “firang” as a slur for Westerners, while reports noted it is a term for foreigners in Hindi and Urdu.
- Coverage recapped Nair’s remarks about speaking Hindustani at home and describing Mamdani as “chaalu,” or street smart, and politically engaged during his college years.
- Reports reiterated Mamdani’s background: born in Uganda, moved to New York at age 7, co-founded a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at Bowdoin, and became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
- The attention adds to scrutiny already facing the mayoral front-runner, including an ethics complaint and disputes over housing and past statements, with outlets seeking comment from Nair and the campaign.