The “India’s Got Latent” Controversy:
- The controversy stems from an episode of Samay Raina’s YouTube show “India’s Got Latent” where Ranveer Allahbadia (also known as BeerBiceps) made a crass and obscene joke about parental sex.
- The remark caused widespread outrage on social media, with many finding it vulgar and inappropriate.
- Following the backlash, multiple FIRs (First Information Reports – police complaints) were filed against both Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia, along with other guests who were part of the episode, in various parts of India. These included charges of promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit discussions.
- YouTube, following a notice from the Indian government, removed the controversial episode from Samay Raina’s channel.
- Samay Raina removed all episodes of “India’s Got Latent” from his YouTube channel and stated he would cooperate with the investigative agencies. He admitted the situation was difficult for him to handle.
- Ranveer Allahbadia issued a public apology, acknowledging his comment was inappropriate and not funny, admitting a lapse in judgment.
- The matter reached the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court reprimanded Ranveer Allahbadia for his “dirty mind” and “vulgar” remarks but granted him interim bail and asked him to surrender his passport and not leave the country without permission. The court also initially restrained him from posting content for a while.
- The Supreme Court also criticized Samay Raina for joking about the controversy during a show in Canada, telling both YouTubers to “behave”. However, the court later allowed Ranveer Allahbadia to resume his own podcast, “The Ranveer Show,” as it was his primary source of income, asking him to maintain desired standards of morality on his shows.
- Both Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia were summoned by various investigative agencies, including the cybercrime cells in Mumbai and Guwahati, for questioning.
- The National Commission for Women (NCW) also issued summons to both of them.
- Samay Raina reportedly expressed regret for the incident and admitted it happened “in the flow” and was unintentional, promising to be more careful in the future. His friend, YouTuber Shwetabh Gangwar, stated that Samay was deeply affected and depressed by the controversy.
In essence, a joke made by Ranveer Allahbadia on Samay Raina’s show led to significant legal trouble and public backlash for both individuals, highlighting the sensitivities surrounding online content and the potential consequences of inappropriate remarks.