Manoj Bajpayee reacts to Samay Raina’s Bihari joke row on India’s Got Latent 2

Samay Raina has once again been making headlines after the release of India’s Got Latent 2's latest episode. The conversation that led to the fresh controversy was around the comedian and Sharon Verma's exchange, which touched upon their Bihari and Kashmiri identities. It has triggered criticism across social media, and now Manoj Bajpayee has shared his perspective on the matter.

The actor, who hails from Bihar, spoke about the importance of humour while also stressing that it should not come at the cost of respect.

Manoj Bajpayee on Samay Raina’s joke

He addressed the controversy during a conversation with IANS, while promoting his upcoming film Last Man in Tower. "

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“If it is all in jest, I actually don't mind it. We should learn to laugh at ourselves and laugh together, laugh at each other and still not be hurt and offended. So, this is what we should learn. We should have humour about ourselves, but at the same time we should have respect, not only for ourselves but also for the person that you are sitting with and where that person comes from. It's very very important. If two people are very easy with each other, they always laugh at each other," he said.

He further added, "We never got offended or hurt. But yes, there is a problem if somebody coming from somewhere becomes a problem for you or becomes a problem for the community. Then there is a problem. Till then, we should be able to laugh at each other, laugh at ourselves. That's a sign of a very healthy society."

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Manoj Bajpayee recalls an incident from his early days

While discussing the subject, Bajpayee also recalled an experience from when he was 18. "When I was in Delhi, I was 18, and I was trying to get into a bus from the front door because this was my first time. So, I didn't know the rules of the city. So, the driver looked at me and shouted, 'Aye Bihari board from the back gate'", he said.

"So, he didn't know that I was from Bihar, but actually I'm from Bihar. So, for him, every person who was doing that kind of a foolish mistake was from Bihar. I didn't mind it because first, he was right that I was from Bihar. Second, I was not wrong because I was new to the city and I was completely unfamiliar. But when I made friends with people from different states, we used to laugh at each other."

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Samay Raina and Sharon Verma's viral remark

The online discussion began after an episode of India’s Got Latent 2 featuring comedian Sharon Verma was released. During their interaction, Raina made a joke about Verma's Bihari roots, while Verma responded with a reference to Raina's Kashmiri background.

“She’s so Bihari, she thinks Ebola means someone said something,” he said.

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Verma responded by taking a dig at Raina's Kashmiri identity, saying, “Samay is so Kashmiri, he loves getting stoned.”

The exchange continued when Raina referred to Verma as a Bihari who had moved to Mumbai in search of work. Verma subsequently replied, “At least I left my state by my choice.”

The comments have since prompted criticism, with some viewers arguing that jokes involving the histories and identities of different communities should be approached with sensitivity.