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Samay Raina responds to outrage over Deepika Padukone joke: “Can you outrage on YouTube instead? I could use the Ad Revenue.”

Sanjana Bailwal2 years ago2 years ago1488 mins

Samay Raina seemed completely unfazed by the controversy surrounding a joke on Deepika Padukone’s depression on the latest episode of his show, India’s Got Latent.

The controversy surrounding the joke on Deepika Padukone’s depression on India’s Got Latent has not fazed the show’s creator, comic Samay Raina. Even as many online have criticised the joke and Samay’s reaction to it, the comic posted on Monday asking people to outrage in a manner that would benefit him.

Samay Raina’s post

On Monday, Samay took his Instagram Stories and shared a screenshot of a Reddit notification concerning the controversy surrounding the joke. The title said: “Comedian’s joke on Deepika’s depression sparks outrage.”. Samay wrote alongside, “To everyone who is outrage-ing on Twitter, one request: Could you please outrage in my YouTube comment section so I get some ad revenue from the traction, at least.” The comedian then attached the link to the YouTube video of the latest episode of India’s Got Latent in which the joke had been told.

What was the backlash about
India’s Got Latent is an online talent show that Samay has founded. Joining him this time was Tanmay Bhat, Raghu Ram, neurologist Dr. Sid Warrier, and Balraj Singh Ghai on the judges’ panel. Among the contestants, one contestant, Bunty Banerjee, made a joke concerning how Deepika and Ranveer Singh’s daughter Dua was born. “Deepika Padukone also became a mother recently, right. Great, now she knows what depression really looks like,” she said. The joke was received with a loud laughter and applause by Samay and the rest of the panelists.

This led to further criticism of the show and the comic, as people are finding it unfunny as it trivializes a common mental health condition and that too in such a dumb way by comparing apples to oranges, punching down unintelligently. The judges including Samay were also found making fun of the joke. “As much hilarious the panel is at times, sometimes the panel has the most brain-dead takes like come on comedy ke naam pe kya kar rahe ho (what are you doing in the name of comedy), while keeping a straight face,” read one comment.

The joke that split the internet

India’s Got Latent is an online talent show created by comic Samay Raina who sits on the judges’ panel himself along with other comedians and content creators. The latest episode saw him join Tanmay Bhat, Raghu Ram, neurologist Dr Sid Warrier, and Balraj Singh Ghai. An excerpt from the episode features a participant Bunty Banerjee referring to the arrival of Deepika and Ranveer Singh’s daughter Dua. “Deepika Padukone also just became a mother recently, right. Great, now she knows what depression really looks like,” she says in the clip.

The camera then cuts to the show’s creator Samay and some other panelists, such as Raghu Ram and Tanmay Bhatt laughing and exclaiming in disbelief. Initially, Tanmay buries his head in his hands before he looks at Samay and bursts into laughter. Samay also laughs and applauds the joke. The contestant then adds, “I am not trying to insult breakup-wala depression,” before pausing and adding, “I am.”

Fans’ reactions
The short clip went viral on Reddit, where people accused the joke of ‘trivializing mental health’. “This! pick me of the highest order.” Said another, “Not that about Deepika but a woman’s mental health being made into a joke on national television for the validation of men by a female comedian.”

Some people even justified the joke saying it was no different than the other edgy stuff on the show and people were only up in arms because it was about a celeb like Deepika Padukone. However, one comment retaliated saying, “People are finding it unfunny because it trivializes a common mental health condition and that too in a dumb way, comparing apples to oranges. It is punching down, unintelligently.”

The judges themselves attracted the ire of the fans with their reaction to the joke. One comment said, “Even the judges are literally like ‘omg mental health pe joke maar diya denk hehe haha hassi ke favvare.’ As much hilarious the panel is at times, sometimes the panel has the most brain dead takes like come on comedy ke naam pe kya kar rahe ho (what are you doing in the name of comedy).”

Deepika Padukone has been vocal about her struggles with anxiety and depression. In October 2015, she founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation to raise awareness on mental health in India. The next year, she initiated the campaign called More Than Just Sad to help general doctors in the treatment of patients suffering from depression or anxiety.

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