These 4 movies by Zohran Mamdani’s mom Mira Nair shine the spotlight on immigrants and underprivileged
Mira Nair is in the limelight after her son Zohran Mamdani became New York Mayor. But she is also an acclaimed filmmaker, with movies such as Salaam Bombay and The Namesake (watch on OTTplay Premium)
Last Updated: 12.49 PM, Nov 06, 2025
Filmmaker Mira Nair, dressed in a saree, stood beaming with pride as her son Zohran Mamdani was cheered on by a vibrant New York crowd as he became the city’s Mayor, which marked several firsts. But that alone cannot be the identity of this astute filmmaker, who has led several path-breaking initiatives. Even as much of the world celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win, we turn back the clock and look at some of the remarkable films of Mira Nair that shine the spotlight on tales of immigrants and the underprivileged. From Salaam Bombay! to The Namesake, trace Mira Nair’s remarkable journey in films with OTTplay Premium.
Mira Nair films to watch on OTT
Filmmaker Mira Nair announced her arrival in the field of cinema way back in 1989, when she helmed Salaam Bombay! Mira Nair trained lens on the ‘real’ streets of Bombay, depicting the tale of street urchins, drug-traffickers and even prostitutes and their pimps. Through the eyes of a young Krishna, we get one of the most realistic pictures of Bombay of the 1980s in this film, which even fetched a prestigious Oscar nomination. Nana Patekar is among the notable names in the cast.
Note writer Jhumpa Lahiri’s Namesake became the basis for Mira Nair’s 2006 film, which followed a young Bengali couple as they try to fit into the American way of living. Much of the story unfolds through Gogol, their first son, Irrfan Khan and Tabu also leave a mark with their nuanced performance. Even if you have read the book, The Namesake deserves to be watched online. Kal Penn plays Gogol, the son of first-generation immigrants in the US, and how he gets named thus
With this 2016 film, Mira Nair takes us to a nondescript slum in Uganda where the young Phiona Mutesi learns and later masters the game of Chess. Madina Nalwanga plays Phiona Mutesi in this biographical sports drama, which won positive reviews and several nominations at global film festivals. An inspiring tale of the underprivileged leaving a mark on the world stage.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Another novel adaptation about an immigrant's tale, the film focuses on a Pakistani man’s tale as he strives to make it on his own in post 9/11 America. Riz Ahmed plays Changez Khan in the film, which did not have a good run at the box office. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is streaming on Prime Video and OTTplay Premium subscribers can also watch it with a top-up.
Some of Mira Nair's other notable films include Monsoon Wedding (on Netflix), starring Vasundhara Das; Mississippi Masala and historical drama Vanity Fair.
FAQs
Q. Who is Mira Nair?
A. Mira Nair is an acclaimed filmmaker, who has helmed several notable films such as Salaam Bombay! and The Namesake. Her son Zohran Mamdani was elected as the New York mayor recently
Q. Where to watch The Namesake?
A. You can watch The Namesake on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium. The film features Irrfan Khan, Tabu and Kal Penn.