A controversy over Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent has stirred up a lot of controversy throughout social media, and it has affected influencers in multiple ways. It is said that there is a drastic reduction in market prices for creators, with multiple FIRs being lodged against contestants like Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia, Apoorva Makhija, Ashish Chanchlani, and Jaspreet Singh. Samay Raina, in a move to tackle the backlash, deleted all the episodes of the show from his YouTube channel.
Details of the Scandal
The scandal occurred in an episode of India’s Got Latent that involved guests Ranveer Allahbadia, Apoorva Makhija, Ashish Chanchlani, and Jaspreet Singh. The conflict began when Allahbadia asked a contestant a question that caused a scandal by asking him whether he would want to watch his parents engage in sex every day or participate in it once and never again. The question was universally condemned as morally objectionable, triggering outrage on social media, particularly given Allahbadia’s public persona associated with spirituality and ethics through his BeerBiceps YouTube channel.
Allahbadia apologized in a video uploaded to his social media following the backlash.”
I shouldn’t have said what I said on India’s got latent. I’m sorry. pic.twitter.com/BaLEx5J0kd
— Ranveer Allahbadia (@BeerBicepsGuy) February 10, 2025
Apoorva Makhija, also referred to as The Rebel Kid, came under intense criticism for a lewd comment made towards a contestant’s mother. Although some defended Makhija, stating she was reacting to an insult, others believed the show had gone too far.
Public Reactions and Influencers’ Support
The internet reaction to the row was mixed. Some other creators and users defended Ranveer Allahbadia, saying his statement was just a joke and not an original concept. They also mentioned that he had already apologized. Some people, however, criticized him for persisting with the lewdness amid the controversy, which further hurt his reputation.
Apoorva Makhija was also targeted, with users terming her a bad influence on young viewers. While she has not made a statement since the FIRs were lodged, several of her fans have come to her defense, highlighting her courage and outspokenness.
Influencers such as Munawar Faruqui, Badshah, and Rida Tharana among several others showed their support for those involved in the controversy. Munawar Faruqui shared a video symbolically discussing the “rising and setting sun,” stating, “Doobta hua suraj achha lagta hai.”
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Rida Tharana, Apoorva’s close friend, defended her by condemning the hateful remarks against women, writing on Instagram, “I’ve never doubted that some people hate women simply for being women—for breathing, existing, loving themselves, and daring to grow.”
When performing at Parul University in Vadodara, Gujarat, bollywood singer and rapper Badshah backed Samay Raina, saying, “I love you, Parul University. Thanks a lot. Free Samay Raina.” It generated an elated reaction among the audience.
Impact on Influencers and Creators
The controversy has had a negative impact on the influencers involved. Samay Raina, stand-up comedian and host of India’s Got Latent, lost a possible brand opportunity in the energy drink industry because of the backlash.
Apoorva Makhija has been taken off the Rajasthan Tourism’s promotion shoot, and her name was withdrawn from the IIFA list.
Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast was initially halted after the controversy but later allowed to continue by the Supreme Court, citing it as his livelihood and essential for about 280 people involved in his show.
Harsh Gujaral Deletes ‘The escape Room’ Episodes
After the scandal, comedian Harsh Gujral took down all episodes of his YouTube series The Escape Room, which had contained dark humor and explicit jokes. In a show, Gujral jokingly said he feared backlash so he removed the episodes to stay out of trouble.
Bassi’s Shows Cancelled
Comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi also suffered the brunt of the controversy. His 3 PM and 7 PM shows in Lucknow were canceled as law and order issues were raised by the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission. The vice-chairperson of the Commission, Aparna Yadav, submitted a letter requesting authorities to make it a point that Bassi’s performances did not spread indecent language against women. The letter mentioned the objectionable nature of the content in earlier performances as a ground for requesting cancellation.
Slumping Market Rates for Influencers
The scandal over India’s Got Latent and other similar incidents has resulted in a significant slump in market rates for influencers. The decline has been steep, with rates dropping by over 50% in some instances, according to Sumon K Chakrabarti, co-founder and CEO of the ad agency Buffalo Soldiers. He described, “Influencers have lost business, and even those who were not part of the scandal are experiencing the backlash. Content that is being produced by digital influencers will undergo a shift.
A lot of them are redoing their content for the year ahead of us, and it’s like having to start from scratch.”
Lifestyle and travel influencer Shivaditya Barjatya also reported a 5-10 percent fall in the influencer fees charged by them for brand collaborations, especially by macro-influencers. According to him, “A macro influencer charging about Rs 2.5 lakh has fallen by about 5-7 percent post the controversy.”
Final Thoughts
The India’s Got Latent scandal has long-term repercussions, touching the careers of many influencers and comedians on the show. Although some come to the defense of the individuals involved, saying the backlash is overblown, others say the vulgarity depicted on the show has tainted the public perception of its contestants. With major repercussions, including canceled shows, lost brand sponsorships, and plummeting market rates, the scandal has had a lasting effect on the online content universe.
