Mumbai: Comedian Samay Raina has urged social media users to stop targeting Sakshi Jha, a contestant from the latest episode of India's Got Latent Season 2, after her performance triggered widespread trolling online. The comedian reminded viewers that entertainment shows should not become a reason for personal harassment.
Sakshi, who introduced herself as a "man-hater" during her act, delivered a satirical set centred around patriarchy and gender stereotypes. Her performance drew strong reactions from the celebrity panel, which included Vishal Dadlani, Raghu Ram, Tanmay Bhat, and Yashraj, with several judges responding through humorous remarks during the show.
However, after the episode premiered, clips from her performance spread across social media, leading to criticism, memes and personal attacks.
Addressing the controversy through a video message from his vacation in Alibaug, Samay appealed to his followers to draw a line between comedy and online abuse.
He acknowledged that memes are part of internet culture but asked viewers to remember that "there's a human on the other side." Stressing that performing live before an audience is never easy, he requested his supporters to avoid excessive trolling and instead respond with empathy.
The comedian also credited Sakshi for making the episode memorable, saying her appearance contributed significantly to the show's entertainment value. According to Samay, the episode would not have been as engaging without her participation.
He further suggested that responding with kindness would be the best way to counter the perception created during the performance, encouraging his audience to "send her love" instead of hate.
The third episode of India's Got Latent Season 2 has climbed to the top spot on Netflix India's trending list and is also available on Samay Raina's YouTube channel.
Sakshi Jha, a digital content creator with a growing online following, describes herself on social media as "Patriarchy's worst nightmare." Her stand-up routine revolved around exaggerated criticism of men, which sparked both applause and backlash.
Despite the criticism, she received support from members associated with the show. Co-producer Balraj Ghai praised her performance, while Tanmay Bhat continued the show's humour by commenting on one of her posts with a callback to a joke from the episode.
Sakshi also shared photographs and videos from the shoot, referring to Samay Raina as "a good man" and expressing gratitude for the opportunity. After Samay publicly defended her, she reposted his message on Instagram, thanking him and writing that she wished to spread "love and only love to both the genders."
The incident has reignited conversations on the fine line between satire, audience criticism and online harassment, with many social media users echoing Samay Raina's appeal for civility even when opinions differ.
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