Mira Nair

Mira Nair (born 15 October 1957) is an Indian American filmmaker. She has received two prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and four from the Venice Film Festival, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe, and two César Awards.

Nair began her career making documentaries, but went on to make feature films. She usually directs independent drama films, which she also produces through her company Mirabai Films, and her films often touch on political themes or controversial topics. She made her feature-length directorial debut with Salaam Bombay! (1988), which received Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award nominations. Her next film, Mississippi Masala (1991), was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Film.

Nair has directed films such as Monsoon Wedding (2001), Vanity Fair (2004), The Namesake (2006), and Queen of Katwe (2016). Monsoon Wedding made her the first female director to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best International Feature Film, and held the record for the highest-grossing Indian film in North America until 2017.

Born and raised in India, Nair moved to the U.S. to attend Harvard University, and was married to photographer Mitch Epstein from the early to late 1980s. She then lived for a few years in Uganda with her second husband, political scientist Mahmood Mamdani, but they later returned to the United States. Their son, Zohran Mamdani, has served as Mayor of New York City since 2026.