Actor and newly elected Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut has stirred fresh controversy with a provocative post on X (formerly Twitter), targeting acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair’s son, New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.
In her post, Ranaut praised Nair as “one of our best filmmakers” and a “beloved and celebrated daughter born and raised in great Bharat,” while questioning the religious and cultural identity of her son. Referring to his name as “sounding more Pakistani than Indian,” Ranaut wrote, “Whatever happened to his Hindu identity or bloodline? And now he is ready to wipe out Hinduism, wow!”
Zohran Mamdani, born to Mira Nair and Ugandan-born author and academic Mehmood Mamdani, is known for his progressive politics in the U.S. Ranaut’s remarks alluded to his stance on certain global issues but offered no specifics. She concluded her post by congratulating Mira Nair and her husband, adding she had met the filmmaker “on a couple of occasions.”
The post, hashtagged #ZohranMamdani, quickly sparked debate online, with many criticizing Ranaut for making communal insinuations, while her supporters applauded her for “speaking boldly.”
Neither Mira Nair nor Zohran Mamdani has responded publicly to Ranaut’s remarks at the time of publishing.