Stand-up comedian Samay Raina has made a comeback with his new YouTube special, Samay Raina: Still Alive. This marks his first major video release following the massive controversy surrounding his show, India’s Got Latent, last year.
Released on Tuesday, this 1-hour and 21-minute special features Samay responding to all the celebrities who criticized him during that difficult period.
Additionally, he informed his fans that he would soon be returning with Season 2 of India’s Got Latent. Samay described the “Latent” controversy as “crossfire,” in which—being a Kashmiri—he found himself caught in the middle.
Taking Aim at Mukesh Khanna and B Praak
During the controversy, Mukesh Khanna (of Shaktimaan fame) and singer B Praak had heavily criticized Samay. Hitting back at them, Samay remarked, “Shaktimaan was asking what kind of impact such content would have on children. Brother, back when Shaktimaan used to air, news reports would surface every other month about a child jumping off a rooftop, believing themselves to be Shaktimaan.
You are the one who caused children’s deaths; what right do you have to speak?” Regarding B Praak, he noted that no one had even invited him to the podcast, yet he chose to jump into the fray regardless.
Mentioning Sunil Pal and Kapil Sharma
Samay also took a dig at comedian Sunil Pal. He pointed out that Sunil Pal was advising him to learn from Kapil Sharma by watching him on TV—whereas, in reality, Kapil was actually scheduled to appear in Samay’s very next episode. Samay claimed that Kapil used to message him personally to praise the show and profess to be a huge fan of his work.
Samay asserted that playing a “wholesome” character feels artificial to him, and he has no intention of abandoning his signature style of dark comedy.
Revelations Regarding Ranveer Allahbadia
In his special, Samay Raina spoke candidly about the FIR that was filed as a result of a comment made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia. Samay revealed that during that controversial episode, Ranveer had asked a contestant inappropriate questions regarding their parents—not just once, but eight times.
Samay jokingly remarked, “I removed seven of those eight questions during the editing process. I had effectively eliminated 99% of the ‘germs’ on my end, but that remaining one percent slipped through, and a controversy erupted.” Taking a dig at Ranveer’s ‘clean image,’ he dubbed him “The Monk Who Sold My Ferrari.”
Season 2 of ‘India’s Got Latent’ is Coming
In the final segment of the video, Samay announced his future projects. He noted that people often ask whether ‘India’s Got Latent’ has come to an end. Samay stated, “Season 1 couldn’t have concluded on a higher note than it did.”
“However, I will definitely bring back Season 2, as I truly enjoy working on it. From now on, for as long as I am in this world, I simply want to have fun.” He promised that the upcoming season would be even “wilder.”
What Was the 2025 Controversy?
In 2025, Samay Raina’s show, ‘India’s Got Latent,’ found itself embroiled in controversy due to its dark comedy and risqué jokes. Ranveer Allahbadia, who appeared as a guest on the show, made comments regarding a contestant’s family, which subsequently led to the filing of a police FIR. Facing immense pressure and potential legal action, Samay was compelled to delete the episode and issue an apology.
