Comedian Samay Raina has come under fire after a contestant on his YouTube reality show India’s Got Latent mocked Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone’s struggles with depression.
The remarks, which referenced Padukone’s mental health and recent motherhood, sparked outrage online. Raina, known for his sharp wit, has responded to the criticism in a way that has added fuel to the controversy.
“Outrage on YouTube for Ad Revenue”
The incident occurred during the latest episode of India’s Got Latent, where Raina sat on the judges’ panel alongside Tanmay Bhat, Raghu Ram, Dr Sid Warrier, and Balraj Singh Ghai. A contestant’s joke about Deepika Padukone’s battle with depression and her new role as a mother triggered a wave of criticism on social media.
Referring to the birth of Deepika and Ranveer Singh’s daughter, Dua, the contestant said, “Deepika Padukone also became a mother recently, right? Great, now she knows what depression really looks like.” The panelists were seen laughing and applauding. The contestant added, “I am not trying to insult breakup-wala depression… Actually, I am.”
Read More: Liam Payne’s funeral to take place today
On November 18, 2024, Raina responded to the backlash on X (formerly Twitter), under a viral clip of the joke. Addressing the criticism, he quipped, “Guys, it’s not fair. You cannot outrage on Twitter. Please outrage on my YouTube comments section so there is some ad revenue at least.”
Internet slams insensitivity toward mental health
Social media users reacted strongly to both the joke and the panelists’ response, accusing them of trivializing mental health and mocking Padukone’s personal struggles. One user wrote, “All Deepika ever wanted was to normalize conversations about mental health, and here we are making it about her exes and motherhood. This is beyond insensitive.”
Deepika Padukone has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. Through her foundation, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, she has worked to break the stigma around mental health issues. She has not yet commented on the incident.
