Updated on: Dec 16, 2025 08:10 pm IST
Filmmaker Mira Nair spoke about how her son, the New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, was offered a role in her BBC web series. Here’s what she said.
The British television drama miniseries directed by Mira Nair and adapted by Andrew Davies from Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel of the same name, A Suitable Boy, is known today for starring Tabu and Ishaan Khatter in the lead roles. But Mira told THR India in an interview that there was a time when she considered her son, New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, for a lead role. Here’s what she said.
Mira Nair on offering A Suitable Boy to Zohran Mamdani
Mira was asked if she could convince Zohran to act in one of her films, to which she replied, “No, no. I mean, I literally offered him the role of the suitable boy – the main role in A Suitable Boy. And again, like many of my things, if I need an actor to read opposite an actress or something, and if he’s home, he’s always been willing. But for A Suitable Boy – I really wanted him to play that role. And he didn’t.”
In fact, Mira says, Zohran even told her that a ‘lot of people die’ to get such offers, but he doesn’t. She also commented on how he didn’t ‘feel the need’ to be an actor but had the ability to ‘actually make joy’. “We threw a shirt on him for Queen of Katwe – besides the music he did – but yes, there is a shot where he plays a kid in their film, briefly. Otherwise, no. Now there’s no chance. He never wanted to, but I’d love it if he did. I’d love it,” she said.
About A Suitable Boy
For the unversed, Ishaan played Maan Kapoor in A Suitable Boy, who falls for the older Saeeda Bai, played by Tabu. The story follows the efforts of a family to find a ‘suitable boy’ for Lata Mehra, played by Tanya Maniktala. Eventually, Lata finds it in Namit Das’ Haresh Khanna. The storyline features more than 110 characters and was the first BBC period-drama series to have a non-white cast.
