Samay Raina and his show India’s Got Latent have been embroiled in controversy since one of the guest judges featured in the latest episode, Ranveer Allahbadia, made a lewd joke which referenced parental sex. The comment sparked widespread backlash, with many expressing disapproval on social media. As a result, Raina, Allahbadia, and the other panellists – Apoorva Makhija, Ashish Chanchlani, and Jaspreet Singh – have been subject to criticism, and cases were filed against them, with Mumbai and Assam Police issuing a questioning order, as well as the National Commission for Women (NCW) taking action.
While the hate train for the group continues, – Allahbadia alleging that he has even been receiving as far as death threats – many have come forward in support, arguing that, while the comments were inappropriate, the show is known for its dark humour and there are bigger issues to address.
One such support came from Raina’s friend and comedian, Munawar Faruqui. Faruqui posted a cryptic video on his Instagram on Saturday, stating that people often get jealous when others reach the top step. In a video compilation of Faruqui performing his shows along with clips of his daily life and Kanye West’s Runway playing in the background, he says in a voiceover: "The early morning sun, it’s really nice, right friends?... The sunset is also really nice. Because in both these situations, the sun is low. But at noon, when the sun is at the top, no one likes it. Both, the rising and setting sun is nice, but when the sun reaches the top, at its zenith, then everyone starts getting jealous.”
Netizens flooded the comments, speculating that Faruqui was subtly supporting Raina, clapping back at the hate surrounding the comedian. One user wrote, “He is talking about samay [sic],” while another added, “When you realize that he is not talking only about himself.” The hashtag #supportsamayraina has also been circulating in the comments.
Much like Raina and his crew, Faruqui has also faced some wrangling over the years for callous comments he made toward the Hindu religion. In 2021, the comic was arrested for allegedly making objectionable remarks about Hindu gods and towards Home Minister Amit Shah during a live show in Indore. He was arrested and spent a month in Indore Central Jail before being granted bail. Much like how Raina had to delete all the India’s Got Latent episodes from YouTube, Faruqui faced numerous cancellations for his live shows and received multiple threats.
Again in 2024, he faced backlash for cracking jokes against the Konkani community during a stand-up performance, after which he promptly issued an apology, acknowledging his mistake.
