Manoj Bajpayee backs ‘India’s Got Latent’ jokes after Samay Raina, Sharon Verma backlash

The controversy follows a recent episode of India's Got Latent Season 2, where Sharon Verma came to the show as a panellist alongside Samay Raina, Orry, Archana Puran Singh and Nishant Suri

The controversy follows a recent episode of India's Got Latent Season 2, where Sharon Verma came to the show as a panellist alongside Samay Raina, Orry, Archana Puran Singh and Nishant Suri

Comedians Samay Raina and Sharon Verma’s exchange on the latest episode of India's Got Latent Season 2 has sparked controversy, with their remarks drawing criticism over references to Bihar, Kashmir and the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits.Manoj Bajpayee reacted to the controversy and while speaking to IANS about the exchange, in which the stand-up comedians mocked each other’s roots, Bajpayee said he was not bothered by such jokes as long as the intent was harmless. He emphasised that people should learn to laugh at themselves while also maintaining respect for others.'I Actually Don't Mind It': Manoj Bajpayee Samay Raina's Bihari Jokes“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,” Bajpayee said.'Andar Jaayega Toh Bahar Nahi Aayega Iss Baar...': Orry Warns Samay Raina On India's Got Latent Season 2 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sharon Verma (@sharonverma)'We Should Have Humour'Furthermore, Manoj stated that this is what people should learn, to have a sense of humour about themselves while, at the same time, maintaining respect not only for themselves but also for the person they are with and where that person comes from. He added that this is especially important because when two people are comfortable with each other, they naturally laugh at one another. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sharon Verma (@sharonverma)During the segment, Sharon Verma made wisecracks about Raina’s Kashmiri Pandit roots, while Raina joked about Verma’s links to Bihar. The exchange subsequently drew criticism on social media, with several users objecting to the references and the context surrounding them.Politicians React To Samay Raina, Sharon Verma’s JokesBJP MLA Ram Kadam linked the controversy to what he described as an alleged attempt by Raina to gain publicity. He told IANS that Sanatan Hindu deities and Kashmiri Pandits should not be treated as subjects of ridicule and criticised the idea of making offensive remarks and apologising later.Koffee With Karan 9 Guest List: Samay Raina To Make Debut, Vijay Deverakona-Rashmika Mandanna & K3G Actresses To Appear Bihar Minister Mithilesh Tiwari also criticised the comments, calling them derogatory. He said, “Any derogatory remark against any citizen of our country is unacceptable. Those who make such remarks are talking about breaking the country. We are people who dream of an Akhand Bharat, and for us, the king and the commoner are equal."Raina is yet to publicly react to the latest criticism surrounding the exchange with Verma.

On Friday, the latest episode of Samay Raina's India's Got Latent season 2, featuring Orry, Archana Puran Singh, Sharon Verma, and Nishant Suri, was released. It became the most-awaited episode of IGL, but banter between Sharon and Samay has landed the show again in a controversy. During the episode, Sharon and Samay made remarks about Biharis and Kashmiris, and this has not gone down well with a lot of people, including BJP's Ram Kadam and Mithilesh Tiwari.While talking to IANS, Kadam stated that certain people in society deliberately make controversial statements just to gain publicity. They only want to become famous.He said, "We need to understand that the deities of Sanatan Hinduism and Kashmiri Pandits cannot be treated as subjects of ridicule. Someone cannot deliberately do something offensive and then simply apologise afterwards. In the meantime, they get the publicity they wanted across the country for free."Mumbai, Maharashtra: On comedian Samay Raina’s alleged remarks about Biharis and Kashmiri Pandits during his show, BJP MLA Ram Kadam says, "There are certain forces in society that deliberately make controversial statements simply to gain publicity. Their sole objective is to… pic.twitter.com/rhwV8Vn9hS— IANS (@ians_india) August 29, 2026 Kadam further stated that such people should be banned from social platforms for some period of time.Mithilesh Tiwari ReactsMinister of Education of Bihar, Mithilesh Tiwari, also reacted to it and told the media, "Any derogatory remark against any citizen of our country is unacceptable. Those who make such remarks are talking about breaking the country. We are people who dream of an Akhand Bharat, and for us, the king and the commoner are equal."#WATCH | Katihar, Bihar: On Bihari-Kashmiri jokes at comedian Samay Raina's show, State Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari says, "Any derogatory remark against any citizen of our country is intolerable; those who make such comments are essentially talking about tearing the… pic.twitter.com/V1L2TmWXds— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2026 He further said that there shouldn't be any discrimination based on caste and creed in the country, and that's what BJP believes.What Did Samay & Sharon Tell Each Other?Samay told Sharon, "She is so Bihari, she thinks Ebola means someone said something." In reply, Sharon told him, "Samay is so Kashmiri he loves getting stoned."To further roast her, Samay said that Sharon is a Bihari who came to Mumbai in search of a job and said, "Just Bihari things." Sharon replied, "At least I left my state by my choice (allegedly referring to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir)."Well, it made everyone on the panel and the audience laugh, but the remarks have surely sparked controversy.