Celebrate Zohran's win by watching these brilliant Mira Nair titles
What's the story
Mira Nair, the acclaimed BAFTA-nominated filmmaker from Odisha, has been making headlines after her son Zohran Mamdani made history by becoming New York City's second-youngest and first Muslim mayor at 34. To celebrate this achievement, here are five of Nair's notable films and web series that you can watch on OTT platforms.
#1
'Salaam Bombay!' (1988)
Nair's first film, Salaam Bombay!, is a poignant depiction of Mumbai's street children through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy named Krishna. Abandoned by his mother, Krishna finds himself alone in the city. He dreams of returning home, but the underbelly of Bombay plays foil. The film stars Nana Patekar, Irrfan Khan, and Shafiq Syed. Watch it on JioHotstar.
#2
'Mississippi Masala' (1991)
Mississippi Masala is a romantic drama that explores love, identity, and belonging across cultures. The film follows an Indian-Ugandan lawyer Jay who is expelled from Uganda under Idi Amin's regime in 1972. His family relocates to Mississippi where they struggle to adjust. Years later, his daughter Mina falls in love with Demetrius, a Black businessman, sparking disapproval from both communities. Needless to say, Denzel Washington is superb in this. Watch it on YouTube.
#3
'Monsoon Wedding' (2001)
Monsoon Wedding is a vibrant and touching film about a Punjabi family in Delhi preparing for an arranged marriage. The story unfolds over four days, culminating on the big day, filled with love, secrets, and family chaos. It is one of those films where you know everyone in the cast. Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shah, Vijay Raaz, Rajat Kapoor, Randeep Hooda, Soni Razdan, Ram Kapoor - every role had a star/future star. Watch it on YouTube.
#4
'The Namesake' (2006)
The Namesake, based on Jhumpa Lahiri's novel, tells the story of a Bengali family that moves from Kolkata to New York. It explores their struggle to fit in and captures the story through the life of their son, Gogol Ganguli, who feels torn between his Indian roots and American life. The film features Irrfan Khan and Tabu in lead roles. Watch it on JioHotstar.
#5
'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' (2012)
In 2012, Nair adapted Mohsin Hamed's 2007 novel of the same name to create The Reluctant Fundamentalist. It follows a young Pakistan-born Wall Street analyst whose life comes crashing down in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Starring Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, and Liev Schreiber, the film enjoys a 6.8/10 rating on IMDb. It's sadly not available to stream in India. In the US, watch it on Apple TV.
#6
'A Suitable Boy' (2020)
A Suitable Boy is a limited web series adaptation of Vikram Seth's novel set in early 1950s India. The story follows four families and Mrs Rupa Mehra's quest to find a "suitable boy" for her daughter Lata. Torn between tradition and freedom, Lata must choose among three men. The cast includes Tanya Maniktala, Ishaan Khatter, and Tabu. Watch it on Netflix.