Mumbai: Popular comedian Samay Raina is no stranger to dark humour, but a recent clip from his hit talent hunt show, “India’s Got Latent”, has landed him in the middle of a raging social media storm. The controversy centres around a seemingly off-the-cuff remark made about a contestant performing under the persona of ‘Salma Diwani’, which has now deeply divided the internet.
According to The viral video shows the contestant, dressed in her character’s avatar, interacting with the host and the judging panel. During the on-stage banter, Raina asks the contestant who has accompanied her to the show. When she replies that she has come with her “cousin”, Bollywood actress and guest panelist Huma Qureshi chimes in, asking, “Who is the cousin?” Seizing the moment, Raina quickly quips, “Must be the husband.”
While the prompt remark left the judges and the studio audience in splits, the reaction online has been fiercely critical. A large section of social media users has slammed the joke, calling it a direct and offensive dig at the tradition of cousin marriages within the Muslim community. Several netizens and religious figures have accused the show’s makers of hurting religious sentiments under the garb of comedy. Conversely, Raina’s staunch fan base has come to his defence, dismissing the uproar and arguing that the comment was just a standard “roast joke” that should not be taken to heart.
Amidst the escalating backlash, many viewers are curious about the real identity of the contestant at the centre of the storm. ‘Salma Diwani’ is actually a theatrical character played by Bhagyashree Tarke, a well-known actress, director, and playwright. Tarke previously garnered praise for her performance in Vishal Bhardwaj’s acclaimed mystery web series, “Charlie Chopra In The Mystery Of Solang Valley”.
The character of ‘Salma Diwani’ stems from a highly popular play written and performed by Tarke herself, which captures the nuances of Hyderabadi culture and dialect. She had appeared on Raina’s stage to showcase this very persona, which has now unintentionally become the focal point of a massive internet debate.
As of now, neither the show’s creators nor Raina have issued an official statement regarding the uproar, leaving viewers engaged in a heated debate over the boundaries of comedy in the digital space.