Technology
Samay Raina Apologises For Disability Jokes, Fans Call It ‘Too Late’: 'Learn From Zakir Khan'
Stand-up comedian Samay Raina’s birthday this year came with controversy instead of celebration. After the Supreme Court directed him to issue an unconditional apology over his offensive jokes about people with disabilities, the India’s Got Lalent judge took to social media on October 26 to say sorry — but his apology hasn’t landed well with everyone.
Samay, who shared the statement on his birthday, wrote that he deeply regretted his past comments, which were made during a now-discontinued segment of his YouTube show. However, social media users seemed far from forgiving. He took to Instagram to write, “Today is my birthday and instead of celebrating just myself, I want to use this day — the most special day of the year for me—to apologize to the people with disabilities.”
“We, Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Sonali Thakkar, Nishant Tanwar, Balraj Ghai, deeply regret the pain caused due to our show. Going forward, we will be more mindful and do our best to spread awareness about the challenges faced by the community. Your strength inspires us to grow. With respect and gratitude, Samay, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, Nishant Tanwar,” he further added.
Celebrity paparazzo Viral Bhayani posted Raina’s apology on Instagram, triggering a flood of reactions. Many users called the apology “meaningless” and “too late,” arguing that humour at the cost of disability is unacceptable. One comment read, “Apologies on such jokes do not make any sense after cracking them.”
Others labelled the comedian “sadist” and said such behaviour can’t be excused with a public statement. Some, however, cynically pointed out that “people are gonna forgive him and everyone will be happy,” suggesting a cycle of outrage and forgetfulness often seen online. Many even said that he should learn better comedy from Zakir Khan.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)
The apology follows weeks of criticism after Raina’s remarks resurfaced and drew legal attention. The Supreme Court’s stern direction for him to offer an unconditional apology has now sparked debate about the limits of comedy, accountability, and public sensitivity on social media.
The controversy began after a charity drive for a two-month-old baby who needed an injection costing Rs 16 crore for a rare disease. Following this, stand-up comedian Samay Raina and four other social media influencers faced severe backlash for making what the Supreme Court called “insensitive jokes” about people with disabilities and rare genetic disorders.
The court criticised their comments and directed all five influencers, including Raina, to issue unconditional public apologies.
In an affidavit, Samay Raina — who hosted the now-defunct show India’s Got Latent — said he never intended to hurt anyone and was committed to creating “inclusive and sensitive content.” He also pledged to ensure “better conduct, content sensitivity, and legal compliance” in the future.
Stand-up comedian Samay Raina’s birthday this year came with controversy instead of celebration. After the Supreme Court directed him to issue an unconditional apology over his offensive jokes about people with disabilities, the India’s Got Lalent judge took to social media on October 26 to say sorry — but his apology hasn’t landed well with everyone.
Samay, who shared the statement on his birthday, wrote that he deeply regretted his past comments, which were made during a now-discontinued segment of his YouTube show. However, social media users seemed far from forgiving. He took to Instagram to write, “Today is my birthday and instead of celebrating just myself, I want to use this day — the most special day of the year for me—to apologize to the people with disabilities.”
“We, Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Sonali Thakkar, Nishant Tanwar, Balraj Ghai, deeply regret the pain caused due to our show. Going forward, we will be more mindful and do our best to spread awareness about the challenges faced by the community. Your strength inspires us to grow. With respect and gratitude, Samay, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, Nishant Tanwar,” he further added.
Celebrity paparazzo Viral Bhayani posted Raina’s apology on Instagram, triggering a flood of reactions. Many users called the apology “meaningless” and “too late,” arguing that humour at the cost of disability is unacceptable. One comment read, “Apologies on such jokes do not make any sense after cracking them.”
Others labelled the comedian “sadist” and said such behaviour can’t be excused with a public statement. Some, however, cynically pointed out that “people are gonna forgive him and everyone will be happy,” suggesting a cycle of outrage and forgetfulness often seen online. Many even said that he should learn better comedy from Zakir Khan.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)
The apology follows weeks of criticism after Raina’s remarks resurfaced and drew legal attention. The Supreme Court’s stern direction for him to offer an unconditional apology has now sparked debate about the limits of comedy, accountability, and public sensitivity on social media.
The controversy began after a charity drive for a two-month-old baby who needed an injection costing Rs 16 crore for a rare disease. Following this, stand-up comedian Samay Raina and four other social media influencers faced severe backlash for making what the Supreme Court called “insensitive jokes” about people with disabilities and rare genetic disorders.
The court criticised their comments and directed all five influencers, including Raina, to issue unconditional public apologies.
In an affidavit, Samay Raina — who hosted the now-defunct show India’s Got Latent — said he never intended to hurt anyone and was committed to creating “inclusive and sensitive content.” He also pledged to ensure “better conduct, content sensitivity, and legal compliance” in the future.
