How Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic lines powered Zohran Mamdani’s viral Bollywood-themed NYC mayor campaign

Zohran Mamdani recently won the New York mayoral elections to become the youngest in over five decades and the first Muslim and first Indian-American to hold the office.While all his video clips post the winning election have gone viral for including Bollywood songs and famous quotes from Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. It is no less surprising to know that one of his campaign video also includes very famous lines from the Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan’s movie 'Deewar'

Mamdani’s creative Bollywood flair in his mayoral campaign

The mayoral campaign in New York City stood out not just for its political content but also for its creative and cultural flair.

The son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, Mamdani infused his campaign with powerful Bollywood references, which were truly relatable to the city’s large South Asian population and young voters.His viral campaign video cleverly recreated a famous scene from the 1975 Bollywood classic Deewar, where Amitabh Bachchan’s character enumerates his symbolic wealth, “Aaj mere paas buildingein hai, property hai, bangla hai, bank balance hai, gaadi hai.

Tumhare paas kya hai?” (Today I have buildings, property, a bungalow, a bank balance, and a car.. What do you have?). In response, Mamdani striking Shah Rukh Khan's iconic pose, confidently replies, “Aap” (I have you).

This imaginative use of Hindi cinema wasn’t just nostalgic; it also carried a sharp populist message. In the campaign video, Mamdani positioned himself against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was backed by Donald Trump, where is says, “Billionaires ke paas already sab kuchh hai.

Ab, aapka time aagaya” (Billionaires already have everything. Now, your time has come), thereby framing the election as a choice between elitism and grassroots empowerment.

Mamdani pledges practical necessities to people in a Bollywood style

Mamdani’s campaign went beyond catchy slogans, pledging practical reforms like rent freezes, fare-free city buses, universal childcare, and affordable groceries. These promises echoed the classic phrase “Roti, kapda aur makaan” (food, clothing, and shelter), making a poignant appeal to working-class voters struggling with New York’s high cost of living.

His New York State Assembly profile highlighted that, despite detours through film, music, and writing, organising was also the basis of his activism, ensuring action over despair.

The video also included a Kishore Kumar song reference

His campaign videos blended Bollywood influences with policy explanations quite tactically, reaching the heart of just the right target audiences, for example, using Kishore Kumar’s music to explain ranked-choice voting, demonstrating a savvy understanding of his audience’s culture and values.

More about Mamdani

Born in Kampala, Uganda, and raised in New York City, Mamdani carries a rich cultural legacy from his parents, filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani.Mamdani’s Bollywood-inspired message, grassroots approach, and progressive platform likely influenced young voters and immigrant communities. His campaign’s success shows how cultural identity combined with focused policies can energize diverse communities and reshape urban politics, and his strategies seemed to have yielded success.