When I first started writing about food some 30 years ago, Madhur Jaffrey was one of the older, established writers I admired. A prominent Indian actress, she demystified and popularised Indian food in America and helped establish it as a cuisine to be taken seriously. Her cookbooks are stellar and reliable.
I find myself admiring her all over again for saying YES to starring in Zohran Mamdani’s astonishing rap video, “Nani”, and defiantly throwing the finger. It is hilarious and riveting, NOT your usual old-person-doing-rap thing. Jaffrey is sexy and fierce.
I’m the best damn Nani that you ever done seen. Fuck top five Nanis and fuck top three, I’m the number one Nani don’t fuck with me.
Read about Jaffrey and the story behind “Nani” here.
Want to track what Nani’s saying? Click CC for illuminating subtitles.
With big thanks to Cara De Silva.