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Who is Samay Raina, comedian whose show India’s Got Latent sparked social media backlash against Ranveer Allahbadia?
Samay Raina, the popular content creator and stand-up comedian, hosts the show India's Got Latent. Read on to know interesting facts about him.
Samay Raina, a comedian and content creator, enjoys immense popularity among the youth. His stand-up gigs and shows frequently go viral on Instagram and often appear as reels. While he enjoys strong support from his fans, a section of netizens remains divided over his dark comedy.
Now, Raina has found himself in legal trouble due to Ranveer Allahbadia's remark on his show, India's Got Latent. As the internet buzzes with controversy, let's take a quick look at Samay Raina's journey and everything viewers need to know about his show.
Who is Samay Raina?
Samay Raina’s LinkedIn bio describes him as a ‘comedian.’ The "About" section lists the following achievements: winner of Amazon's Comicstaan Season 2, winner of Netflix's Comedy Premium League, and last chess game loser.
Samay Raina’s education and family
Samay Raina comes from a Kashmiri Pandit family in Jammu. On several occasions, he jokes about Kashmir and the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. His father is a journalist, while his mother is a homemaker.
He grew up in Hyderabad with his family and completed his schooling there. Later, he moved to Maharashtra and enrolled at Vidyarthi Griha in Pune to study Print Engineering. He began performing at open mic events during his college days.
Early days
Samay Raina knew he was not meant for corporate life, so he explored several of his passions before realizing that stand-up comedy was his true calling. His first open mic was in August 2017, after which he began opening for comedians like Anirban Dasgupta and Abhishek Upmanyu in Pune.
Samay Raina’s rise to fame
The comedian rose to fame after co-winning Comicstaan Season 2 alongside Aakash Gupta. The second season of the stand-up comedy show was judged by Biswa Kalyan Rath, Zakir Khan, Kenny Sebastian, Kanan Gill, Sumukhi Suresh, Kaneez Surka, and Neeti Palta. It was hosted by Urooj Ashfaq and Abish Mathew. His unique comic style earned him immense popularity.
Samay Raina’s stint on YouTube
Later, during the pandemic, he gained even more fame by streaming chess matches with comedians and professional players. As an avid chess enthusiast, he collaborated with players to provide commentary on the game. His chess content was widely loved, further boosting his popularity and helping him establish himself as a YouTuber.
Before streaming chess content, Samay used to stream PUBG on Tanmay Bhat’s channel. He then set up his own channel, where he did a few PUBG streams before eventually exploring chess games.
Samay Raina’s social media presence
The stand-up comedian and social media content creator has more than 6 million followers on Instagram. Interestingly, he follows only one person—none other than Rakhi Sawant. She was recently a panelist on Raina’s show India’s Got Latent.
On YouTube, he enjoys a massive following with 7.39 million subscribers.
What is India’s Got Latent?
Not many months ago, Samay Raina launched his show—India’s Got Latent—which is widely enjoyed by viewers. The show premiered on June 14, 2024, and is primarily available on YouTube. A few episodes are available for free on Samay Raina’s YouTube channel, while some members-only episodes and exclusive content can be accessed by paid members.
The show aims to provide individuals with a platform to showcase their untapped talent. It features a unique self-rating format where each participant has to rate their own performance. If their score matches that of the panelists, they win the episode and receive a cash prize.
Samay Raina, who hosts the show, invites various personalities—comedians, musicians, and internet celebrities—to join the judging panel. Some of the most popular personalities who have been featured as jury members include Raftaar, Badshah, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Rakhi Sawant, Tony Kakkar, Tanmay Bhat, Bharti Singh, and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, among others.
Controversy surrounding Samay Raina's show
On February 10, a complaint was filed against Ranveer Allahbadia, social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, comedian Samay Raina, and the show's organizers. The complaint, lodged with the Mumbai Commissioner and the Maharashtra Women's Commission, accuses them of using abusive language on the show. The letter also calls for strict legal action against the accused.
The controversy erupted after Allahbadia, who has over 10 million followers on YouTube, asked a contestant an inappropriate and offensive question:
"Would you rather watch your parents have s*x every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?"
Netizens have been slamming Allahbadia and Samay Raina for their "crass comedy."
Allahbadia, who goes by the username BeerBiceps, has released a public apology. On the other hand, Samay, who is currently on a U.S. and Canada tour, is yet to respond.
Recently, India’s Got Latent also made headlines when legal action was taken against a participant for making insensitive comments about the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates!
Ranveer Allahbadia Controversy: FIR filed against YouTuber over inappropriate remarks on Samay Raina’s show
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