Bangladeshi actor Zayed Khan has revealed the reason behind a widely discussed photograph featuring him alongside Zohran Mamdani, confirming that the two appeared together in a short film titled ‘Immigrant Diaries Episode-2’.
Speculation began after Zayed shared a poster on his Facebook page on Friday night showing Mamdani with his hand on the actor’s shoulder. In the caption, he wrote: “What is actually happening here? Mayor Zohran Mamdani has his hand on my shoulder? Wonderful!”
Journalist Khaled Muhiuddin later shared the same poster, writing: “Everyone knows who the bigger star is. Now we will see who the better actor is.” The post quickly sparked discussion online, with many assuming it was linked to an official meeting or promotional campaign.
However, speaking from the S late on Friday night BST, Zayed clarified that Mamdani had acted alongside him in the short film.
Directed by Jon Kabir and Saad Al Amin, the series focuses on the lives, struggles and experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants abroad. The first episode was released in March, while the second episode will premiere on May 27 at 9 pm on the Thikana Bangladesh YouTube and Facebook pages.
Speaking about the project, Zayed said, “Zohran Mamdani acted directly alongside me in this short film. Being able to work with him is not only a personal honour, I believe it is also a matter of pride for Bangladesh’s red and green flag.”
The actor also explained how the mayor became involved in the project. According to Zayed, US-based Thikana representatives Ruhin Hossain and Anubha Shahin Hossain initially contacted Mamdani via email with details about the project and Zayed Khan. After receiving confirmation from the mayor’s office, filming was completed on the scheduled date.
Zayed added that despite being a globally recognised and busy mayor, Mamdani remained warm and attentive on set, carefully following the director’s instructions and enjoying the experience.
