The Righttime
Elle India|July 2018

Huma Abedin has been a power player all her life. She began her career as an intern at the White House, and rose up the ranks, all the way to vice-chair for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Now, as female representation in American politics hits an all-time high, the woman, who helped Secretary Clinton to the door of the world’s most notorious boys’ club, sits down for a conversation with another fire-starter who has been at the front lines of equal representation in her own field—the actor, writer, comedian, and our May cover star, Mindy Kaling.

The Righttime

ON A PERFECT MIDSUMMER JUNE AFTERNOON in New York, ELLE India brought together Huma Abedin and Mindy Kaling at Balthazar to discuss the question of identity, and the lure of a homeland she never fully knew.

Mindy Kaling: First, I just want you to know that I’ve been claiming you as Indian. We had a joke on a recent episode of my new show, Champions, where my on-screen son asks Hasan Minhaj, who plays my glamorous, rich brother, if “you’re my real dad, my mum is my aunt, and Huma Abedin is my real mum?” And Hasan goes on to say that it didn’t work out between you two, but that you did date once. So, I just feel like I decided that you were Indian on my show—and that you dated Hasan Minhaj unsuccessfully for a while because you were too busy. Is any of that true?

Huma Abedin: [Laughs] Well, I was born in Michigan, to an Indian father and a Pakistani mother. We moved to Saudi Arabia when I was two, and that’s where I grew up. I came back to the US for college, but I have recently been thinking about the whole question of identity, and I am curious about your views on it too. In the past, people have asked me what I am, and I’ve always said, “I am American.”

MK: So you’ve always identified as American?

HA: I have and I do, but I also grew up very comfortably in Middle-Eastern culture. My upbringing was culturally very mixed: Europeans, Americans, South Africans, Africans, Arabs. We were American, we were Muslim; those formed the very core of our identities.

MK: The lines can be quite distinct, can’t they? Hindu-Muslim, India-Pakistan. For me, all South Asians going through the Hollywood machine are brothers and sisters. And I am always surprised when people seek out the divide.

この蚘事は Elle India の July 2018 版に掲茉されおいたす。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トラむアルを開始しお、䜕千もの厳遞されたプレミアム ストヌリヌ、9,000 以䞊の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしおください。

この蚘事は Elle India の July 2018 版に掲茉されおいたす。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トラむアルを開始しお、䜕千もの厳遞されたプレミアム ストヌリヌ、9,000 以䞊の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしおください。

ELLE INDIAのその他の蚘事すべお衚瀺
Bridal Trends, 2024 Edition
Elle India

Bridal Trends, 2024 Edition

Bralettes, corsets and mermaid skirts emerge as the new must-haves when it comes to wedding dressing

time-read
4 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
All The Feels
Elle India

All The Feels

Maahi Shah takes a deeper look at the big little moments in a bride's life as she prepares for her wedding day

time-read
5 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
ISLAND ESCAPADE
Elle India

ISLAND ESCAPADE

Here's why Fiji is the ultimate destination to celebrate your love.

time-read
1 min  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
ROMANTIC ESCAPES
Elle India

ROMANTIC ESCAPES

Wondering where to head for a honeymoon getaway? Isha Mayer recommends five luxurious destinations for your honeymoon

time-read
3 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
The Taste Of Weddings
Elle India

The Taste Of Weddings

What goes behind planning those extravagant grazing tables and indulgent bites at weddings? Top gourmet caterers let Isha Mayer in on their processes

time-read
4 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
Challenging Convention One Ritual at a Time
Elle India

Challenging Convention One Ritual at a Time

Maahi Shah speaks to five female priests who have been breaking new ground while upholding faith and pursuing a passion for learning

time-read
6 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
FIJI: A TROPICAL FOR INDIAN HAVEN WEDDINGS
Elle India

FIJI: A TROPICAL FOR INDIAN HAVEN WEDDINGS

From pristine beaches to cultural familiarity, discover why Fiji is the perfect destination for Indian weddings.

time-read
2 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
MAKE YOUR WEDDING FANTASY A REALITY
Elle India

MAKE YOUR WEDDING FANTASY A REALITY

The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace offers luxurious venues, exquisite dining and unforgettable moments

time-read
3 分  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
SHINING BRIGHT EVERYWHERE
Elle India

SHINING BRIGHT EVERYWHERE

Lab-grown diamonds for every occasion—luxury and affordability

time-read
1 min  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024
BRIDAL BEAUTY, REDEFINED
Elle India

BRIDAL BEAUTY, REDEFINED

Christine Ko, CEO of Moira Cosmetics, shares her insights on makeup for brides and the art of achieving radiant skin.

time-read
1 min  |
ELLE Wedding Book 2024