Samay Raina, the comedian and YouTuber, has been making headlines recently due to the ongoing controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent. While he’s remained tight-lipped about the drama, an old video of his from a 2024 show in Ahmedabad has resurfaced and gone viral, adding fuel to the fire. In the clip, Samay offers a candid insight into his comedic philosophy, sparking intense debate online.
The video, taken from one of his performances, shows Samay addressing his audience in a more serious tone. He begins by asking the crowd to put away their phones, saying, “Phone hata do, just want to talk dil se (from the heart).” He then goes on to explain, “Whatever I said in the last hour, I am not that kind of person.” An audience member yells, “Cover-up, cover-up,” and Samay responds, “It’s not a cover-up. I’m trying to tell you something. I could’ve just walked off… but I want to break the facade.” He then drops a bombshell: “We all write jokes to make you laugh, but none of this has any real meaning. It’s just a game with cheat codes.”
Samay continues to get real, referencing a joke from earlier in his set about his grandfather, saying, “Nana zinda hai mera (My grandfather is alive). We write this stuff, we know it works, you have a good time, we make money. Simple fun.”
This reflection on comedy, however, has become all the more significant amidst the backlash Samay is facing over India’s Got Latent. The show is under fire after YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia made an inappropriate remark during an episode. The comment led to multiple FIRs against both Samay and Ranveer, causing Samay to pull down all episodes of the show.
Meanwhile, Samay has been busy touring with his Samay Raina Unfiltered shows, performing across Canada and the U.S., including a recent gig in Edmonton. But the controversy hasn’t subsided. The comedian has been summoned by the cyber police for questioning, although his request to give his statement via videoconference was reportedly denied.
For those unfamiliar with the controversy, it all began on India’s Got Latent, when Ranveer made an ill-received “joke” that sparked outrage. A formal complaint was filed against Samay, Ranveer, Apoorva Mukhija, and the show’s organizers with the Mumbai Commissioner and the Maharashtra Women’s Commission. The complaint alleges that the show used abusive language and made obscene remarks about women, all for the sake of gaining popularity and financial benefit.
As the situation continues to unfold, all eyes are on Samay and his next move.
