30 August,2026 09:28 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Manoj Bajpayee and Samay Raina. Pics via X
Comedian Samay Raina has seemingly landed himself in a controversy once again after a joke once again made during the latest episode of India's Got Latent. Actor Manoj Bajpayee has reacted to the ongoing controversy surrounding the joke about immigrants. When informed about the incident where the comedian engaged in fun banter with Sharon Verma, which has now sparked a controversy, Manoj said that one needs to laugh at themselves.
Reacting to the controversy, Manoj told IANS, "If it is all in jest, I actually don't mind it. We should learn to laugh at ourselves and laugh together, laugh at each other and still not be hurt and offended. So, this is what we should learn. We should have humour about ourselves but at the same time we should have respect, not only for ourselves but also for the person that you are sitting with and where that person comes from. It's very very important. If two people are very easy with each other, they always laugh at each other".
The actor shared a personal incident from his initial days in Delhi when he was spoken to harshly by a bus driver. He recalled, "When I was in Delhi, I was 18, and I was trying to get into a bus from the front door because this was my first time. So, I didn't know the rules of the city. So, the driver looked at me, and shouted, 'Aye Bihari board from the back gate'. So, he didn't know that I was from Bihar but actually I'm from Bihar. So, for him, every person who was doing that kind of a foolish mistake was from Bihar. I didn't mind it because first, he was right that I was from Bihar. Second, I was not wrong because I was new to the city and I was completely unfamiliar. But when I made friends with people from different states, we used to laugh at each other".
"We never got offended or hurt. But yes, there is a problem if somebody coming from somewhere becomes a problem for you or becomes a problem for the community. Then there is a problem. Till then it's, we should be able to laugh at each other, laugh at ourselves. That's a sign of a very healthy society", the actor, who was most recently seen in Governor, added.
On the latest episode of the comedy show, Raina took a dig at panellist Sharon Verma's Bihari roots. To which the latter hit back, saying, "At least I left my state by my choice." She then made a dark-humour reference to Raina's Kashmiri identity, saying he "loves getting stoned". The exchange has attracted sharp reactions from political leaders.
BJP MLA Ram Kadam criticised the comedian's remarks, saying, "There are certain forces in society that deliberately make controversial statements simply to gain publicity." He added that "Kashmiri Pandits cannot be treated as subjects of ridicule."
Similarly, Bihar Minister Mithilesh Tiwari objected, stating, "Any derogatory remark against any citizen of our country is unacceptable." Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said that the reference to Kashmiri Pandits was "condemnable and objectionable" as he demanded an apology.
