It is an interesting time to be a voter in today’s digital age. Traditional policy debates and political rallies are no longer the only channels used to persuade people to the ballot box. How Bollywood-savvy a candidate is not only determines voter turnout in India but, apparently, also in the USA.
A compelling case in point is the viral New York City mayoral race, where Zohran Mamdani, a rising political figure of Indian origin, has masterfully leveraged Bollywood's enduring charm to connect with his South-Asian voter base.
Zohran Mamdani will probably become the new mayor of New York City
This was his campaign video especially made for the people from indian subcontinent. Look at the creativity and boldness 👌
Not only was his viral video campaign scripted in Hindi, but he also utilised iconic scenes from classics like Amitabh Bachchan's ‘Deewar' to resonate with the South Asian diaspora.
From “Mere paas maa hain” to “Roti, kapda, makaan” and “Kya tumne kabhi kisi ko vote (dil) diya?, Mamdani has redefined political campaigning, making politics feel personal and accessible for non-whites in an otherwise white country.
Utilising this innovative approach allowed Mamdani to translate complex policy promises like rent freezes, free public transit, cheaper groceries and more into engaging, memorable content that had the potential to go viral.
His strategic use of social media, an impressive Instagram following and unconventional initiatives like the ‘Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest’ underscored profound digital and pop culture literacy.
His strategies seemed to have yielded success. Zohran Mamdani has won the Democratic Party's nomination to become the first Indian-American and Muslim Mayor of New York City. He is now set to compete in the main mayoral election later this year.
Zohran Mamdani was born in Uganda to Indian parents: Mahmood Mamdani, a renowned scholar of Gujarati Shia Muslim descent, and Mira Nair, an acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker of Hindu Punjabi descent.
Zohran Mamdani (left), Mira Nair (centre), Mahmood Mamdani (right)
Fusing pop culture with politics isn't just limited to New York. In India, parties like Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) controversially used deepfake videos during the Delhi assembly elections late last year. They manipulated scenes from popular web series like Prime Video's ‘Panchayat’ and SonyLIV's ‘Maharani’ to create satirical or accusatory narratives against rivals.
Such unconventional political campaigns collectively underline a socio-political shift: ‘pop culture literacy' and ‘social media literacy' are now indispensable skills for political strategists aiming to capture the imagination of a digitally fluent electorate.
The ability to speak the language of memes, act on viral trends, and strategically infuse campaigns with cultural references can significantly amplify reach and impact, winning elections.
Modern elections are no longer confined to town halls and TV news channels. They are a multi-platform spectacle where digital dexterity is becoming a decisive factor in winning hearts, and ultimately, votes.
/afaqs/media/agency_attachments/2024-10-10t065829449z-afaqs_640x480.png)
/afaqs/media/member_avatars/2025/04/17/2025-04-17t130410170z-img_20250316_164032.jpg )
Follow Us/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/06/30/mixcollage-30-jun-2025-01-46-am-3291-2025-06-30-01-47-21.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/06/30/mixcollage-30-jun-2025-01-48-am-3469-2025-06-30-01-50-12.jpg)
/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/06/04/EpynvltnJCH3tkcVgk1z.jpg)