Ian McKellen surprised Anthony Mackie played Captain America

Zohran Mamdani has built a notably different kind of political connection with New York’s diverse communities. His approach centers on delivering campaign outreach in multiple languages, including Mandarin, Bengali and Spanish. Rather than relying solely on English, Mamdani’s team has woven the city’s varied linguistic makeup directly into its outreach strategy. That approach has helped him connect more directly with working-class neighbourhoods and immigrant populations in their native languages. The New York City mayor’s approach to engaging constituents has repeatedly drawn attention. His localised messaging and public appearances, often delivered fluently across several languages, have become a defining feature of his public image. The style has also sparked plenty of reaction online, with social media users reacting with a mix of praise and humour. One widely shared comment joked that he seems to be collecting languages the way people collect Pokémon cards. Online audiences have picked up on his frequent switching between languages across different platforms, fuelling ongoing viral commentary and internet humour surrounding his public appearances. Mamdani’s rise has been driven largely by viral moments, genuine community engagement, and his multilingual outreach. Together, these elements have made him a particularly influential figure among Gen Z and millennial voters. Exit polling data shows just how central younger voters have been to his political base. Roughly 75% to 78% of voters aged 18 to 29 backed him, contributing to a notable rise in youth turnout during recent municipal elections. Unlike many politicians who stick closely to rehearsed talking points, Mamdani’s communication style leans heavily on relatable humour, short-form video content and an active social media presence. Whether he is sharing lighthearted Gen Z-style clips, interacting casually with a neighbourhood cat, or switching fluidly between Mandarin, Bengali and Spanish, his approach reflects both the language and culture of a diverse, younger audience. Beyond his online popularity, younger voters also point to his focus on core issues like housing affordability, economic inequality and broader representation. By treating everyday culture and multilingual communication as central to his political identity rather than an afterthought, Mamdani has reshaped how candidates in the city are attempting to reach younger, more diverse voters.

Veteran actor Faysal Quraishi has made a bold statement about how far Pakistani dramas have come on the world stage. He shared his views during a recent appearance on Fahad Abid’s podcast, Fahad’s Den. According to Quraishi, Pakistani dramas are now competing directly with Netflix productions on a global level. He noted that free-to-air Pakistani dramas are increasingly being compared to major international Netflix shows, despite operating on vastly different budgets. He broke down the numbers to make his point clearer. A highly successful Pakistani drama, he said, typically earns around Rs 20 crore at its peak. Certain Indian series made for Netflix, on the other hand, are produced with budgets nearing Rs 40 crore. Yet, according to Quraishi, these productions still end up being measured against Pakistani dramas in terms of overall impact. He went further, pointing to viewership numbers as proof of this growing rivalry. Quraishi claimed that a single episode of a Pakistani drama often pulls in more YouTube views than an entire hit Netflix series combined. He said this reflects just how deeply Pakistani content has connected with audiences around the world. Quraishi also raised a pointed question about the relationship between the two industries. He asked why Indian streaming platforms have not made Pakistani dramas available on Netflix, if the two truly are not in competition. According to him, this hesitation comes from a deliberate push to protect and promote homegrown Indian content instead. Beyond his industry comparison, Quraishi shared a personal story to highlight just how far-reaching Pakistani dramas have become. He recalled sitting inside a cinema once, only to spot the person beside him watching a Pakistani drama on their phone. He added that a friend had told him a similar story, describing how commonly people now watch these dramas on mobile devices rather than television screens. Quraishi has built an extensive career in the Pakistani entertainment industry over the years. His body of work includes popular dramas such as Fitoor, Farq, Dil-e-Momin, and Khaie. He recently earned strong praise for his performance in Case No. 9, further reinforcing his reputation as one of the country’s most respected television actors.