From Dhoom Machale blaring at his victory speech to campaign videos that looked more like 90s wedding VHS tapes than political ads, Zohran Mamdani just proved that politics doesn’t have to be boring or beige. The Queens native, now officially New York City’s youngest, first Muslim, and first South Asian mayor, didn’t just win an election; he pulled off a full cultural remix.
they just played off zohran’s speech with the dhoom soundtrack i’m just 💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/z5a1sfQ5rl
— biphobia bridgers 🌈✨ (@twinkatonn) November 5, 2025
This wasn’t your usual campaign trail. There were no forced smiles at ribbon cuttings or overly filtered selfies in diners. Instead, Mamdani’s feed looked like a mashup of meme culture and movement work, with hand-eating biryani, street-side speeches, and unapologetic authenticity. For a generation starved of sincerity and style in politics, it felt like a homecoming.
Hey white supremacists, Zohran ended his speech tonight with ‘Dhoom machale’. Bollywood music.
Cry more, racist losers.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 5, 2025
Forget sleek political ads, Mamdani’s campaign looked like your cousin’s shaadi video meets a TikTok rally. His team leaned into chaos, humor, and heritage, making “cool politics” an actual thing. It wasn’t just about identity; it was about being real in a system that’s allergic to it. While other candidates talked about relatability, Mamdani lived it, sitting on stoops, blasting Bollywood, and making New York politics look alive again.
Mamdani’s appeal was simple but seismic. He spoke to the people who actually live here. His platform of rent freezes, free buses, and universal childcare hit home in a city where survival often feels like a luxury. It was radical, yes, but it also made sense. He wasn’t talking policy jargon; he was talking about life.
Politics has always been performative, but Mamdani just made the performance fun again. In a world where rallies built on immigrant hate are gaining strength, his win redefines what success in politics looks like. It’s proof that hard work, authenticity, and community can still trump fear-driven narratives.
Mamdani: “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant.” pic.twitter.com/QF3up3c4k0
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 5, 2025
In a time when cynicism feels like the default setting, Mamdani’s rise feels refreshing. He’s not selling an illusion of inclusivity; he’s living it. His campaign didn’t just get votes; it got vibes, and that’s something the establishment never saw coming. Even the memes got the memo. “Behind every successful man is a baddie,” read one viral post featuring Zohran and his wife, a reminder that political cool isn’t just about platforms, it’s about presence.
Behind every successful boy, there’s a baddie. pic.twitter.com/UnEfIq7OWZ
— Akshit (@CaptainGzb) November 5, 2025
So yes, maybe it’s time to admit it. The youth are parched for honesty, for representation, for leaders who look like them, sound like them, and eat biryani with their hands on camera without caring about optics.
Zohran Mamdani didn’t just win City Hall. He made politics cool again, and in 2025, that might be the biggest victory of all.
