He mentioned, “I’m dobai.”
Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani recently hosted an engagement and wedding in Dubai with his wife, Rama Duwaji, who isn’t often in the public eye.
The couple, aged 33 and 27 respectively, celebrated their event in the United Arab Emirates on December 22, 2024, at the picturesque rooftop of Vida Creek Harbor, according to Instagram.
They had an engagement ceremony and conducted a Nikka, which is an Islamic ritual where couples sign a marriage contract, reported on social media.
The wedding venue offers packages starting at $72 per person, alongside a minimum spending requirement of about $2,700.
Before their civil ceremony in New York City, Zoran and his wife marked their engagement last year in Dubai, where her family resides.
When questioned about the Dubai ceremony and subsequent backlash, Mamdani posted on Instagram, urging people to focus on him rather than on his wife.
“Three months ago, I married my beloved, Llama, at the city clerk’s office. Unfortunately, right-wing critics are trying to stir up trouble,” he wrote.
“Rama is not just my wife. She’s a talented artist deserving recognition in her own right. Feel free to criticize my opinions, but leave my family out of it.”
Mamdani is currently in the race to replace Eric Adams as the Democratic nominee for mayor, facing off against former government official Andrew Cuomo.
His perceived socialist views raised eyebrows, particularly given his privileged background as the son of filmmaker Mira Nair, known for directing “Monsoon Wedding,” and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani.
Mamdani resides in a stylish apartment owned by Columbia University, benefiting from a property tax exemption, which he has proposed to abolish.
While Mamdani expresses a desire to share his wealth, he seems less inclined to discuss specifics about his recent marriage and Duwaji.
He recounted in an interview that they were married in a civil ceremony at the clerk’s office, describing it as his favorite building in New York.
“The exterior is stunning and reminiscent of a different era in New York, while the interior embodies the essence of public services,” he noted. “So many couples get married there at various stages of their lives; it’s truly beautiful.”
Duwaji, a Syrian artist focusing on Brooklyn, has had her illustrations featured in publications like The New Yorker and Washington Post.
She holds a Master’s in Art in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts, which costs roughly $29,000 per semester.
In an earlier interview, Duwaji revealed that she spent much of the pandemic in Dubai with her family.
