Bollywood meets Big Apple: Zohran Mamdani ends mayoral victory speech with 'Dhoom Machale'

New York | "Dhoom Machale..." The exuberant, celebratory track from the 2004 blockbuster "Dhoom" rounded off Zohran Mamdani's victory speech, more evidence that New York's newly elected mayor embraces his many identities with a light-as-souffle touch.

The 34-year-old Indian-descent democrat, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, defeated independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa on Tuesday night.

As Mamdani concluded his speech before hundreds of supporters with "New York, this power it's yours. This city belongs to you. Thank you", the title track of the Abhishek Bachchan-John Abraham starrer started playing in the background.

He was joined on stage by wife Rama Duwaji and his parents as the speech ended, the pulsating tune playing all the while in the background. Mamdani is the first South Asian, the first Muslim and the youngest to helm the administration of the world's financial capital.

The chartbuster "Dhoom Machale" was sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and set to music by Pritam Chakraborty. It became a nationwide sensation for its peppy beats and catchy chorus, making it one of Bollywood’s most popular dance anthems of the 2000s.

This is not the first time that Mamdani, who was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was seven, has used the popular appeal of Hindi cinema.

Several of his campaign videos, to reach out to New York's Indian American voters, used songs and dialogues from hit Hindi movies to great effect. One video, for instance, referenced "Deewaar", "Karz" and "Om Shanti Om", all cult hits from the recent and not so recent past.

Hours after his historic win, Mamdani delivered a thundering speech in front of his supporters, saying his victory toppled a “political dynasty” and also quoted the words of former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

“Standing before you, I think of the words of Jawaharlal Nehru - a moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance. Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new," he added.

The use of “Dhoom Machale” set social media abuzz, with many users applauding Mamdani for his choice of song.

Noted American journalist Mehdi Hasan posted, "Hey white supremacists, Zohran ended his speech tonight with ‘Dhoom machale’. Bollywood music. Cry more, racist losers."

"Probably one of the most iconic things to ever happen at the end of the New York Mayor's victory speech...they really dropped 'Dhoom Machale'!" wrote one user on X.

Added another, "Zohran Mamdani closes victory speech as mayor of New York to Dhoom Machale. This is like a Bollywood movie in real life."

"New yorkers have been exposed to the magic of 'Dhoom Machale' mashallah."

"Dhoom Machale" composer Pritam was thrilled.

"I was very interested in knowing the results because Zohran Mamdani is the son of Mira Nair. I was hoping that he wins. And as I woke up, a friend from America sent me the clip of his win with 'Dhoom Machale' in the background. And it sounded like such a perfect fit," Pritam told PTI

Before stepping into electoral politics, Mamdani was a hip-hop artist known first as 'Young Cardamom' and then as 'Mr Cardamom'. One of his popular tracks feature celebrity chef and actor Madhur Jaffery and is titled 'Nani'.

Pritam also found Mamdani's musical roots interesting.

"Zohran is a musician and Mira Nair's son, so his connection to hip-hop struck me as interesting," Pritam added.

Trump says Republicans lost elections due to his absence from ballot and shutdown

Washington | US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the Republican Party lost Tuesday's elections due to his absence from the ballot and the shutdown.

Democrats dominated the first major election since President Trump returned to the White House in January. Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani pulled off a stunning victory in the New York City mayoral elections, while his party colleague Mikie Sherrill was elected New Jersey governor. Another Democrat, Abigail Spanberger, became Virginia's governor, while India-born Ghazala Hashmi has been elected as her deputy.

"'Trump wasn’t on the ballot, and shutdown, were the two reasons that republicans lost elections tonight,' according to Pollsters," the US President posted on Truth Social.

He, however, did not name the pollsters.

The government shutdown has entered its 36th day, breaking the previous record.

In another post, Trump called for voter reforms.

"Republicans, terminate the Filibuster! Get back to passing legislation and voter reform! President DJT," he wrote.

"Pass Voter Reform, Voter ID, No Mail-In Ballots. Save our Supreme Court from “Packing,” No Two State addition, etc. Terminate the filibuster!!!," Trump said in another post.

When Mamdani started his victory speech, Trump posted, "...and so it begins!"

In his victory speech, Mamdani challenged Trump on immigration, heralded the toppling of "political dynasty” and said his election symbolises “hope” over tyranny and "big money”.

"After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power,” Mamdani said to thunderous applause.

“This is not only how we stop Trump; it’s how we stop the next one. So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up," he added.

On election eve, Trump had warned voters that New York City would be a “complete and total economic and social disaster” and its "survival" is at risk if Mamdani won the mayoral race.

Mamdani, the son of renowned Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan author of Indian ancestry, defeated former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani’s victory revives age-old left v/s right debate in American politics

New York | Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory further deepened the divide between the American media and politics, as one section sees it as a mandate against President Donald Trump and the rise of Democratic Socialists, the other compares it with the ascent of Marxism.

Indian-descent democrat Mamdani defeated Trump-backed independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the closely-watched battle for New York City Mayor.

Apart from Mamdani, his party colleague Mikie Sherrill was elected New Jersey governor, Abigail Spanberger became Virginia's governor, and India-born Ghazala Hashmi was elected as her deputy.

"It’s a reminder that when we come together around strong, forward-looking leaders who care about the issues that matter, we can win. We’ve still got plenty of work to do, but the future looks a little bit brighter," said Barack Obama, who was the first Black President of the US.

However, the victory has also put a spotlight on the rift within the Democrats. While some see him as the party's future, the other lot perceive his victory as the rise of the Democratic Socialists within the party, experts say.

“Mamdani and Cuomo represented two very different wings of a Democratic party whose popularity is waning nationally; one deeply unpopular and infuriatingly uninspiring, the other genuinely ambitious and exciting. New Yorkers have signalled whose vision for America it should put stock in,” The Guardian said in an article in the run-up to the election.

“Mamdani belongs to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which was founded in 1982 through the merger of several progressive movements and has now become the largest socialist organisation in the US,” C Raja Mohan, an expert on international affairs, wrote in an article published by The Indian Express on Wednesday.

“Mamdani shines a light on the current churn in US domestic politics and the unfolding contest for the political soul of America,” Raja Mohan added.

Meanwhile, the US media has raised a parallel debate following Mamadani’s victory.

A section of the media proclaimed Mamdani’s victory an onset of a new wing of democratic politics which is not only progressive, but also socialist, ambitious and exciting.

Media bigshots like The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal hailed Mamdani’s victory as the success of a democratic socialist.

While the Post sheds light on “How did a socialist with almost no governing experience become New York’s mayoral frontrunner?”, a headline from The New York Times said, “How Zohran Mamdani Beat Back New York’s Elite and Was Elected Mayor”.

“How Mamdani Went From Little-Known Socialist Lawmaker to NYC Mayor,” a Wall Street article headline read.

However, the other section of media, like Fox News and The New York Post perceived a challenge in Mamdani’s victory, calling it a “socialist experiment” and the “rise of Marxism”

“Mamdani's socialist experiment comes to City Hall,” Fox Business headlines said. The New York Post called it the “rise of Marxism” with an animated picture of Mamdani holding the communist hammer and sickle.

Mamdani, 34, will be the first Muslim, the first Indian-origin, the first born in Africa, and the youngest one in more than a century when he becomes New York Mayor on January 1.

With Mamdani’s win, New York City and the US entered a new political and ideological era with the democratic socialist now at the helm of the citadel of capitalism.

Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Indian-origin Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani.

He was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Mamdani became a naturalised US citizen only recently, in 2018.

Indian-origin Cincinnati mayor wins second term, defeats VP JD Vance’s half-brother

New York | Indian-origin mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, Aftab Pureval, won a second term defeating Republican challenger Cory Bowman, half-brother of Vice President JD Vance, local media reported.

Pureval’s Tuesday victory cements Democrats’ control of Cincinnati’s local government and adds to Pureval’s growing profile in Ohio politics, Fox News reported on Tuesday (local time).

Pureval, 43, a former special assistant US attorney, first claimed the mayor’s office in 2021 after winning nearly 66 per cent of the vote, the report said.

Pureval’s Tibetan mother fled Communist Chinese occupation as a child and grew up in a Southern Indian refugee camp, while his father is Punjabi.

Pureval began his political career in 2015, running for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts.

He easily defeated opponent Bowman during the May open primary, winning over 80 per cent of the vote. As both men were the top two vote-getters in the primary, they proceeded to compete in the November general election, The Hill reported.

His opponent, Bowman, never held public office but was inspired to run after his half-brother, J D Vance, was inaugurated, Fox reported.

Though Vance remained on the sidelines during Bowman's campaign, he voiced his support for his half-brother on social media, calling him "a good guy with a heart for serving his community," and urged followers to "get out there and vote for him." Fox reported.

“Bowman and Republicans tried to paint the city as overrun with crime. Pureval countered that the city leadership combatted crime through numerous measures, including implementing a stricter curfew and recruiting more officers,” US Today reported.