Bollywood actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has targeted John Mamdani, Indian -origin New York Mayor candidate on Thursday, 26 June 2025. Kangana said on social media that Joharan’s name “seems like a Pakistani” and she is trying to end Hinduism. The statement came at a time when Johran won the Democratic primary and is potentially on the way to become the first Muslim mayor of New York.
Kangana represented an old video and wrote, “Her mother Meera Nair, who is a famous filmmaker and honored with Padma Shri, was born and grew up in India. She married Mahmood Mamdani, author of Gujarati origin, and her son is Johan, named more Pakistani than Indian.” He raised the question, “Where did his Hindu identity or blood line go, and now they are ready to erase Hinduism, wow!” However, Kangana also congratulated her parents, referring to her meeting with Meera Nair.
The dispute was further deepened when Johran’s old tweets and his presence in the Ram temple protest at Times Square in 2020 came to light. Kangana claimed that derogatory comments were made against Hindus and Lord Rama in that demonstration, which Johran did not stop. On the other hand, Johran’s supporters say their progressive policies – such as free transport and rent control – are the cause of their popularity.
The issue has also become a topic of discussion in the Indian-American community, where some people are supporting Kangana’s statement, while others consider it unfair. Johran, who is the son of Meera Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, will compete with the current Mayor Eric Adams in the November 2025 election.