Popular stand-up comedian Samay Raina, found himself at the centre of controversy earlier this year after his show India’s Got Latent went viral for the wrong reasons. The comic and his team were criticised for their below the belt humour, especially a joke targeting people with disabilities.
Now, on his birthday, October 26, Samay has issued a heartfelt public apology.
Taking to social media, he wrote, “Today is my birthday and instead of celebrating just myself, I want to use this day—the most special day of the year for me—to apologize to the people with disabilities.”
“We, Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Sonali Thakkar, Nishant Tanwar, Balraj Ghai, deeply regret the pain caused due to our show. Going forward, we will be more mindful and do our best to spread awareness about the challenges faced by the community. Your strength inspires us to grow. With respect and gratitude, Samay, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, Nishant Tanwar,” he further added.
What sparked the controversy
The backlash began after Samay Raina made a controversial joke on his show India’s Got Latent about a charity drive for a two month old baby who needed a Rs 16 crore injection for a rare disease. Many people found the joke insensitive, and it sparked huge criticism online. The Supreme Court also stepped in, calling the remarks by Raina and other comedians “insensitive” and ordering them to apologise.
After this, Raina filed an affidavit saying he never meant to hurt anyone and promised to be more careful and respectful in the future. The Supreme Court also asked the government to make stricter rules to stop offensive content that targets people with disabilities, women, children, and senior citizens.
