India’s Got Latent Row: Comedian Samay Raina finally broke his silence on the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent during a live performance at the Myer Horowitz Theatre in Edmonton, Canada. The issue erupted after YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) made an inappropriate remark about parents and sex on Raina’s show, leading to public outrage and multiple police complaints.
As Raina walked on stage, he appeared visibly emotional, tears streaming down his face. But he quickly gathered himself and dove into his performance, earning loud cheers from the packed audience. One attendee, Shubham Dutta, later shared on Facebook, “I saw nearly seven hundred so-called ‘spoiled’ youngsters cheering his name, while in the middle stood a professional comedian, tears in his eyes.”
Raina didn’t shy away from addressing the controversy head-on. When a spectator took a dig at him, he responded with his signature wit: “There will be plenty of moments tonight where I could crack a joke, but in those moments, just think of BeerBiceps.” He even joked about the situation, thanking the audience for “paying his lawyer’s fees.”
In the wake of the backlash, Raina announced on social media that he had removed all episodes of India’s Got Latent from his YouTube channel. “Everything happening right now is too much for me,” he shared. “All I ever wanted was to make people laugh.” He also assured his cooperation with authorities.
The controversy escalated when multiple FIRs were filed against both Raina and Allahbadia. The Supreme Court later granted Allahbadia protection from arrest while condemning his remarks. Meanwhile, a parliamentary panel called for stricter regulations on digital content.
The incident has ignited a larger debate on free speech in comedy. While many, including actress Akansha Ranjan Kapoor and TV star Aly Goni, supported Raina, others called for greater accountability in digital media.
Despite the turmoil, Raina ended his show on a powerful note: “Maybe my time is bad right now, but remember, my friends—I am time itself.”
Also Read: Samay Raina Deletes All Episodes Of India’s Got Latent Amid Controversy
