Stand-up comedian Samay Raina, currently touring the United States and Canada, has turned controversy into comedy, addressing the backlash surrounding India’s Got Latent and Ranveer Allahbadia’s infamous remark. While the debate rages on, Raina made it clear during a live show in Edmonton that he isn’t backing down.
Shubham Dutta, a fan who attended Raina’s performance at the Myer Horowitz Theater, later shared an emotional Facebook post titled The Show Must Go On… detailing his experience.
“I finally understood the true meaning of this phrase just a few hours ago when I attended this man’s live show! I saw nearly 700 young people cheering for him, while he stood there, tears in his eyes, just before starting his set,” Dutta wrote.
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The comedian, appearing exhausted yet defiant, opened with a wry remark: “Thanks for paying my lawyer’s fees,” he quipped, standing on stage in a dust-covered black hoodie, dark circles under his eyes.
During the performance, an audience member tried to heckle Raina, prompting him to fire back with a sharp dig at Allahbadia, best known as BeerBiceps. “There will be many moments in this show where you might expect me to say something really funny. But just remember BeerBiceps at those times,” he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Dutta’s post described how, despite the turbulence in his life, Raina delivered two hours of laughter before signing off with a powerful closing line. “A man who, despite being in a dangerously difficult phase, still made everyone laugh ended the show with these words: ‘Shayad samay kharab chal raha hai mera, par yaad rakhna doston, main samay hoon (Maybe my time is bad right now, but remember, my friends—I am time itself).’”
The India’s Got Latent controversy has put both Allahbadia and Raina under scrutiny, but while the show’s reputation may be in limbo, Raina’s resolve remains anything but latent.