Zayed Khan, Zohran Mamdani Photo Fuels Speculation
Photo Collected
Bangladeshi actor Zayed Khan has clarified a social media buzz surrounding recent photos of him alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, revealing the pair collaborated on a short film exploring the lives of expatriate Bangladeshis. The images, which sparked widespread speculation, were taken during the production of “Immigrant Diaries Episode 2,” slated for release next week.
Khan first posted the intriguing images on Friday, May 22, showing Mayor Mamdani with an arm around the actor’s shoulder, accompanied by a caption questioning, “What is actually happening here? Mayor Zohran Mamdani putting his hand on my shoulder? Excellent!” The post quickly went viral across various platforms, leading netizens to speculate about a potential official meeting or promotional stunt. Journalist Khaled Muhiuddin also shared the post, adding to the intrigue with comments about who might be the “bigger star” or “bigger actor.”
In an interview late Friday night, Khan dispelled the rumors, confirming that Mayor Mamdani had directly acted with him in the short film. Titled “Immigrant Diaries Episode 2,” the project is directed by Jon Kabir and Saad Al Amin, focusing on the experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants.
The series’ first installment was released in March, with the second episode scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, May 27, at 9 PM Bangladesh time on the ‘Thikana Bangladesh’ YouTube channel.
Khan expressed admiration for Mayor Mamdani’s professionalism on set, noting that despite his global recognition and influence, the mayor was “extremely cordial” and diligently followed directorial instructions. “Working with him directly in this short film is not just my personal pride, but I believe it is also the pride of Bangladesh’s red and green flag,” Khan stated. He added that the mayor appeared to thoroughly enjoy the experience.
The collaboration was initiated when Ruhin Hossain and his wife Anuva Shaheen Hossain of the US-based ‘Thikana’ reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office via email, providing details about Khan and the project. After a brief wait, the Mayor’s office scheduled the shoot for “Immigrant Diaries Episode 2.”
Khan, who debuted in the Dhallywood film “Bhalobasha Bhalobasha” in 2008, is also known for his role as the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artists’ Association. He relocated to the United States following the “July mass uprising” and has since been hosting programs for a local media outlet there, maintaining an active presence on social media.
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