NYC Mayor Mamdani speaks in Bangla, Mandarin and Spanish to promote free Broadway tickets
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has released a series of videos in Bangla, Mandarin and Spanish — apart from English — to highlight a city initiative that offers free Broadway theatre tickets to high-school students.
In the videos posted on X, Mr. Mamdani speaks in the three languages to draw attention to the programme under which the city has partnered with the Theatre Development Fund (TDF) to give away over 2,000 free tickets to Broadway shows. Students can enter a free-to-enter lottery for a chance to attend performances.
The multilingual outreach has drawn widespread praise on social media, with users complimenting the Mayor's pronunciation, tone and fluency.
“And now he’s speaking in Bangla as well; what can't this man do,” one user commented on his Bangla video. Another wrote, “Native Bengali speaker here, dude speaking better Bangla than current Gen Z in Bangladesh.” A third user remarked, “Bengal has a rich legacy of art, theatre, literature, and culture. From the Bengal School of Art to jatra and Kolkata’s vibrant theatre scene, creativity runs deep over there! I am afraid this man’s political talent is unmatched!”
On his Mandarin video, a user said, “The NYC mayor speaks better Mandarin than I do, bye.” Another commented, “This doesn’t sound AI since it is very staccato, which is basically what a lot of non-native Chinese speakers sound like. I do appreciate how he tries to pronounce every character well.”
Mr. Mamdani, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, is the 112th Mayor of New York City. He is the first South Asian and the first Muslim to be elected to the city's highest political office. Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, he moved to New York City with his family at the age of seven.
Over the weekend, Mr. Mamdani attended the India Day Parade in the Queens neighbourhood of New York. In a post on X, he wrote: “Today, I was back in Floral Park for the Queens India Day Parade — this time as the first Indian American mayor of New York City. It was an experience I will never forget.” This was arguably the first time he had publicly identified himself as “Indian-American”.
Referring to former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, who once described the city as a gorgeous mosaic, Mr. Mamdani said, “Today, I saw that mosaic in the Hindus and Christians, Muslims and Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs across the Indian diaspora who have helped make our city what it is. To all of them, I say: it is an honour to do that work alongside you. Happy Indian Independence Day!”
The Mayor's use of multiple languages reflects the linguistic diversity of New York City, where over 800 languages are spoken. Officials say the free theatre ticket programme aims to make Broadway more accessible to young people, regardless of their economic background.
The initiative, run in partnership with TDF, a non-profit organisation dedicated to bringing theatre to a wider audience, is part of a broader effort to promote arts education in public schools. Students can enter the lottery through their schools, and winners receive tickets to selected Broadway shows.
Mr. Mamdani's videos have not only promoted the programme but have also sparked conversations about the importance of multilingual communication in public service. His ability to speak Bangla, a language spoken by many South Asian New Yorkers, has been particularly noted in Bengali-speaking communities both in the U.S. and abroad.
