- Praveen Nair, Mira Nair's mother, died at age 94
- Praveen co-founded Salaam Baalak Trust for street children in 1988
- She worked with the Red Cross and other social welfare groups
Veteran filmmaker Mira Nair's mother, Praveen Nair, has died at the age of 94. Praveen Nair was a well-known social worker and philanthropist. She was also the co-founder of Salaam Baalak Trust, an organisation that works for underprivileged street children. She had spent many years working in the development sector before starting the trust.
Praveen worked with organisations such as the Red Cross and other groups focused on social welfare.
She was the inspiration behind New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani's viral rap song "Nani", which he released in 2019 as a tribute to her.
Mamdani, who also performs music under the name Mr Cardamom, created the song to celebrate his bond with his maternal grandmother. The music video featured veteran actor and celebrity chef Madhur Jaffrey as "Nani".
Mamdani met Jaffrey for tea through their common friend, actor Poorna Jagannathan. He told Jaffrey about the song and asked her to be part of it. Jaffrey agreed and played the role of "Nani" in the music video, according to Indian Express.
The song, which uses strong language, says that no other grandmother could match her personality and style.
Praveen's daughter Mira Nair's 1988 film "Salaam Bombay!" changed the course of her life. The film showed the struggles of street children in Mumbai. It received international praise and was nominated for an Academy Award.
After watching the impact of the film, Praveen decided to work more closely for children living on the streets. In 1988, she co-founded Salaam Baalak Trust along with Mira Nair, Anjou Chopra and Sanjoy K Roy.
Praveen Nair was also known for her sense of humour. During the Cannes Film Festival in 1988, where "Salaam Bombay!" was screened, photographers mistakenly thought she was an actor from the film. When asked about her role, she reportedly replied, "I'm the producer of the director!"