Comedian Samay Raina, the creator of India's Got Latent, seems unfazed by the backlash over a joke made by a female contestant about Deepika Padukone's depression. Addressing the wave of social media outrage, Mr Raina responded on Monday with a playful remark, humorously suggesting that people channel their anger to benefit him.
On his Instagram Stories, Samay posted a Reddit notification regarding the controversy: "Comedian's joke on Deepika's depression sparks outrage." In his post, he wrote, "To everyone who is outraging on Twitter, one request: Could you please outrage in my YouTube comment section so I get some ad revenue from the traction, at least?" He also included a link to the YouTube video of the India's Got Latent episode where the joke was made.
The show recently sparked controversy after a contestant, Bunty Banerjee, remarked on Deepika Padukone. She said, "Deepika Padukone also became a mother recently, right? Great, now she knows what depression really looks like." After a brief pause, she added, *"I'm not trying to insult breakup-wala depression... I am."
The comment immediately drew criticism on social media, with users condemning it as insensitive to Deepika and dismissive of the struggles faced by those battling mental health issues. Many highlighted how the joke trivialized clinical depression-a serious and globally stigmatised illness. Some found it particularly disappointing to see a woman make light of another woman's hardships.
Samay Raina, along with fellow panellists Tanmay Bhat, Raghu Ram, neurologist Dr. Sid Warrier, and comedian Balraj Singh Ghai, was seen laughing during the remark, further fueling the backlash. Critics accused the group of undermining a sensitive issue. Despite the controversy, India's Got Latent remains known for its edgy and unconventional approach to comedy.
