The Supreme Court has issued a sharp rebuke to five social media influencers and comedians, directing them to apologise for what it called “insensitive” jokes targeting people with disabilities. The most prominent name among them is stand-up comic Samay Raina, with others including Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Nishant Tanwar, and Sonali Thakkar (Sonali Aditya Desai).
Samay Raina at the Centre of the Row
Raina, 28, rose to fame after winning Comicstaan 2 in 2019 and later gained traction during the Covid-19 lockdown, blending stand-up with online chess streams involving personalities like Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, and actor Aamir Khan. His YouTube channel today boasts over 7 million subscribers.
In 2024, he launched a parody talent show titled India’s Got Latent, known for “dark” or dank humour. The show attracted backlash, particularly after an episode featuring podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia (“Beer Biceps”) drew outrage for an incest-related joke. That controversy prompted Raina to delete all episodes of the show.
The latest controversy stems from a live show where, referring to a charity drive for a child with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Raina joked whether parents would spend the ₹16 crore raised on treatment or reconsider, remarking, “the child might die anyway.” Laughter followed from the audience but the remark was taken up by an SMA advocacy group in a petition before the SC.
Justice Surya Kant, hearing the case, questioned how such comments could shape society: “Today it is the disabled, tomorrow something else. Where will this end?” The case has been adjourned for further hearing in November.
Vipul Goyal and His Stand-Up Journey
Vipul Goyal, another comic named in the petition, studied engineering at IIT Bombay before shifting to theatre and comedy. He became well-known after leading TVF’s web series Humorously Yours in 2016. He regularly appeared in India’s Got Latent alongside Raina, which is where his name came up in the petition for offensive jokes.
Balraj Ghai, Judge and Co-Host
Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, though not a comedian by profession, was a co-host and panel judge on India’s Got Latent. His family owns a popular comedy venue in Mumbai where the show was filmed. The club was recently vandalised following controversies over episodes, one of which involved influencer Ranveer Allahbadia as a guest. Ghai has around 150,000 Instagram followers and describes himself as someone who “loves people who use talent for nonsense.”
Nishant Tanwar and Sonali Thakkar Also Named
Comedian Nishant Tanwar, also known as “Joke Singh” and “Rider OP,” began his career as a video producer for a news channel before moving into stand-up. He gained prominence with an Amazon Prime comedy special in 2018 titled Dilli Se Hoon B@!&#%D*. His style often incorporates profanity for emphasis.
Sonali Thakkar, also known as Sonali Aditya Desai, left accounting to pursue stand-up comedy. She has built a strong following online, with nearly 140,000 Instagram followers and 17,000 subscribers on YouTube.
The apex court’s intervention has reignited a debate on freedom of speech versus accountability, with attention now focused on the upcoming November hearing.