In recent news, comedian Samay Raina is facing legal scrutiny following allegations of mocking individuals with disabilities during an episode of the YouTube show India’s Got Latent. The Supreme Court of India has taken note of a plea filed by the Cure SMA Foundation of India, highlighting that Raina ridiculed disabled individuals, including a person with visual impairment and those suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The Court has termed the matter a “serious issue” and has directed the NGO to file a formal writ petition .
This controversy follows a previous incident in September 2024, where Raina faced criticism for using derogatory terms such as ‘langde’, ‘apahij’, ‘goonga’, ‘behra’, and ‘hakla’ during a performance on India’s Got Latent. Triple amputee Tinkesh Kaushik condemned Raina’s comments, emphasizing that such remarks are not humor but hate, and called for legal action .
Additionally, an old video resurfaced in February 2025, showing Raina mocking a life-saving ₹16 crore injection needed for a two-month-old infant’s survival. His insensitive remarks led to widespread backlash, with netizens condemning his lack of empathy .
In response to the ongoing controversy, Raina removed all episodes of India’s Got Latent from his YouTube channel and stated his intention to cooperate fully with the authorities .
These incidents have sparked broader discussions about the regulation of digital content in India and the balance between freedom of expression and the responsibility to avoid discriminatory or offensive content.
Sources