‘Zohran Mamdani was a rapper, rehearsing for Monsoon Wedding’: Namit Das celebrates NY mayor’s ‘historic’ win with throwback pics

Actor Namit Das shared throwback photos with Zohran Mamdani from when Mamdani was still a rapper and congratulated him for making history in the mayoral elections.

Zohran Mamdani is the first-ever Muslim mayor of New York City.

Namit Das appeared alongside Zohran Mamdani in the stage musical adaptation of Monsoon Wedding. (Photo: Namit Das/Instagram)

Zohran Mamdani has made history by winning the New York City mayoral election, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor. His victory has drawn widespread attention and congratulations from both the public and prominent figures in arts and entertainment. Zohran, the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, known for Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, has received public messages of support from Hollywood personalities including Spike Lee, and Mark Ruffalo. Now, Bollywood actor and musician Namit Das, known for films such as Wake Up Sid, Ghanchakkar, and Ankhon Dekhi, shared a series of throwback photos from 2017. The images capture moments from rehearsals for Monsoon Wedding: The Musical at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where Zohran and Namit appeared together.

Reflecting on the shared experience, Namit wrote, “This was back in 2017, when Zohran was still a rapper and we were rehearsing for Monsoon Wedding: The Musical in NYC. This truly feels like a personal victory. I’m so happy for Zohran, who’s now gone on to lead the same city he once envisioned with hope and purpose.”

He also acknowledged Zohran’s parents Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani and further commented on the throwback photos, describing them as “a small, friendly gathering where we were twinning and dancing to the same Bollywood song,” and congratulated the entire family on the victory.

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Born in Uganda, Zohran moved to New York with his family at age seven. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and earned a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College, where he co-founded the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Before entering politics, Zohran pursued music as a rapper under the name Young Cardamom, once collaborating with Pakistani-American singer Ali Sethi on the song Chhoti Bahu. In fact, a few months ago, one of his rap videos was shared widely on X (formerly Twitter), where a user wrote, “I was today years old when I learned Zohran Mamdani once had a fledgling rap career…”

I was today years old when I learned Zohran Mamdani once had a fledgling rap career… pic.twitter.com/rcGbRaxf9y

— uncle gworl (@_uncle_gworl) June 13, 2025

His artistic background continued to influence his mayoral campaign. At his victory celebration, he concluded his speech promising change for New York and walked off the stage to the song Dhoom Machale, a 2004 hit from the actioner Dhoom, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi.

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