Indian-origin filmmaker Mira Nair, an internationally acclaimed director and the mother of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has been mentioned in the latest batch of documents released by the United States Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the newly disclosed files, Nair’s name appears in an email from October 21, 2009, sent by publicist Peggy Siegal to Jeffrey Epstein. The email references Nair as one of several guests at a film-related party hosted at the New York townhouse of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who was later convicted of sex trafficking–related offenses.
A screenshot of the email, first reported by the Daily Mail, lists several high-profile attendees, including former US President Bill Clinton, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, photographer Jean Pigozzi, and filmmaker Mira Nair. The email notes that the gathering followed a film event and does not detail the nature of individual interactions.
Reports indicate that the party was likely connected to the promotion of “Amelia” (2009), a biographical film directed by Nair and starring Hilary Swank and Richard Gere. However, this detail is not explicitly mentioned in the email excerpt shared in the released files.
Importantly, the inclusion of a person’s name in the Epstein-related documents does not imply wrongdoing or illegal activity. Legal experts and US authorities have repeatedly clarified that many individuals referenced in the files appear solely due to social, professional, or incidental contact.
Jeffrey Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a prison sentence following her conviction.
Mira Nair is widely respected for her contributions to global cinema, with notable films including Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay!, and Mississippi Masala. As of publication, there has been no response from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office regarding the mention of his mother in the documents.
The Department of Justice stated that the latest disclosure includes over 3 million pages of records, along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, with sensitive material appropriately redacted to protect privacy.
