New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani is running a filmy campaign for the race to the city’s top post with campaign material drawn from Amitabh Bachchan’s Deewar, among other films.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, dropped a 2.23 minutes campaign video on his X handle, where he explained to the voters in Hindi what he offers to the New Yorkers, the election process and also why the New Yorkers should not vote for his rival Andrew Cuomo, with references from popular Hindi films.

Cuomo, a former governor of New York, was forced to resign following a sex scandal in 2021.

The 33-year old Mamdani, son of Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair and Andrew Cuomo, are the frontrunners. If elected Mamdani would be the first Muslim mayor of New York City.

New York City congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Mamdani as the first choice for Mayor.

“Just 20 days left for the election and the choice is between me and Andrew Cuomo. If this is the first time that you get to know about the elections then this is what Andrew Cuomo has to offer,” Mamdani says in the video which leads to the iconic scene of Bachchan’s Vijay being confronted by Shashi Kapoor’s Ravi under a bridge in then Bombay from the movie Deewar, which completed 50 years this January.

Amitabh Bachchan in Deewar (Reddit)

“Aaj mere paas buildingein hain, property hai, bangla hai, bank balance hai gari hai, kya hai tumhare paas (Today I have buildings, property, bungalow, bank balance, car, what do you have?”

In response to that posing, in Shah Rukh Khan’s signature arms stretched out pose, Mamdani replies: “You”

He tells the voters that he has raised eight million dollars for his campaign funds and knocked on over six lakh doors.

“And are on the brink to elect the first south Asian mayor in New York’s history. It’s not about what I will become, it is about what I will do for our communities and for every New Yorker,” Mamdani says.

Mamdani married Syrian artist Rama Duwaji in a quiet ceremony that was attended by close family members in Dubai last year.

He promises to make New York affordable for its citizens, struggling for Roti, Kapda aur Makaan, a direct reference to another Bachchan- starrer.

“I am fighting to change all that. Rent freeze, free buses, universal childcare and cheaper groceries,” he says.

Cuomo is seeking a political comeback rebuilding alliances in the process. Cuomo’s campaign focuses on improving the city’s management, mental health issues and ‘combating anti-Semitism.’

Mamdani, a member of the New York State Assembly explained the voting process for the seat of New York’s Mayor by borrowing Kishore Kumar’s booming voice from the soundtrack of Karz.

“Hey, have you ever voted for anyone? Have you ever ranked anyone?”

Mamdani explained using five glasses of Lassi, every New Yorker has the right to choose five candidates in order of preference.

“Think of these five glasses of Lassi as candidates and I am one of them. This one here is me,” he says. “This system works like this. After all the first choice votes are counted the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. But if he was your first choice then your vote is not eliminated, it is added to your next choice. This process continues till one candidate crosses the 51 per cent votes mark.”

He told New Yorkers that the chances of their voice becoming powerful depend on the more number of candidates they rank.

“I want you to rank me first on your ballot and not just me, fill the rest of the ballot too. These are three other candidates whom you should rank. Just remember not to rank Andrew Cuomo. His campaign is funded by Trump donors. And if he wins, not only will they control DC but also NYC,” Mamdani says.

At the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary debate held at the NBC Studios last night, Cuomo, Mamdani and seven others faced each other.

To Mamdani’s claim that he was US President Donald Trump’s worst nightmare, Cuomo responded: “Donald Trump would go through Mamdani like a hot knife through butter.”

In the campaign video, Mamdani shared a clip of Kishore Kumar song from the Rajesh Khanna starrer Maalik.

“Billionaires already have everything. Now your time has come,” Mamdani signs off.

The primary vote will be held on June 24.