Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) shared a lighter side of politics over the weekend by reposting an X post from Aisha Farooqi, who is running for Congress in Michigan.
“Who says every political meeting has to be about politics? On Saturday, @RoKhanna and I covered the important issues: Shah Rukh Khan, samosas, and chai,” Farooqi wrote, alongside a short video of the two discussing movies, food, and sports.
Khanna has previously endorsed Farooqi’s congressional campaign. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “Aisha for Congress has spent her career standing up for working families in Michigan. We need her progressive voice and commitment to justice and economic fairness in Congress and her commitment to human rights.”
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In the video, which Khanna reposted on X with the caption, “My name is Khan is one of my favorite movies!”, the two politicians highlighted their shared backgrounds as lawyers and members of the South Asian community. “And now we have an Indian American endorsing a Pakistani American,” Khanna said. “That’s what this country is all about.”
Farooqi then asked Khanna to choose between Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. “Shah Rukh Khan,” Khanna replied. “‘My Name Is Khan’ is one of my favorite movies.” Farooqi responded that “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” was her favorite Shah Rukh Khan film.
The conversation continued with a series of lighthearted rapid-fire questions, including whether they preferred samosas or pakoras, lassi or chai, Bollywood or Hollywood, and cricket or basketball. They wrapped up by choosing between their home states. Asked “Michigan or California?” Farooqi answered “Michigan,” while Khanna replied, “California.”
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The lighthearted exchange came just days after Khanna struck a markedly different tone while responding to a series of congressional primary victories in New York. The California Democrat issued a sharp warning to corporate leaders, saying, “We have a simple message for these oligarchs,” before adding, “Channelling FDR, we should say to them, bring it on.”
Khanna argued that a progressive platform resonates with voters because it opposes foreign wars and supports policies such as Medicare for All, universal child care, stronger union protections, and higher taxes on billionaires and trillionaires. He said the American public responds when leaders stand up for the working class over what he called the “Epstein class” and the billionaire class.
Farooqi is running for Congress in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District.