Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has reacted strongly to comedian Samay Raina deleting all his India's Got Latent videos from YouTube amid severe backlash, legal troubles and controversies.

The Kashmir Files director's post for Samay draws a parallel between the comedian's recent backlash and the experiences of Kashmiri Pandits who faced persecution. Vivek seems to suggest that Samay, who is of Kashmiri Pandit heritage, is now getting a taste of what it feels like to be 'lynched' (metaphorically) by people who disagree with him.

The director also implied that the this is the same kind of public outrage and hostility that he himself has faced for his views, particularly regarding Kashmiri Pandit issues.

"Today, as a Kashmiri Pandit, Samay Raina must have experienced how it feels when people who don't agree with you come to lynch you. Welcome to the club," Vivek wrote on X.

In another post, Vivek urged Samay not to lose hope and learn from whatever has been happening.

Offering advice and encouragement to Samay after the backlash he faced, the director asked him to grow from the controversy rather than let it overwhelm him.

"Dear @ReheSamay, all I can say is this: तुम्हें टूटना नहीं है, तुम्हें हारना नहीं है। तुम्हें सिर्फ़ सीखना है। Learn from the waves of the sea, aur yehi jeevan bhi hai: जीवन है समुंदर की लहरों जैसा—उठना, गिरना, राह आती चट्टानों से टकराना, टूटना, फिर बनना, बिगड़ना, उठना, गिरना, पर न कभी झुकना, न हारना."

Vivek Agnihotri criticises 'selective' outrage over vulgarity

Vivek also criticised 'selective and hypocritical' outrage over vulgarity in comedy. He wrote, "The outrage over vulgarity in comedy is selective and hypocritical. India has always had social space for irreverent humor —wedding songs, Holi celebrations, Tepa Sammelans, Gadha Sammelans, Nautanki, Parsi theatre, double-meaning Bollywood dialogues, and poetry gatherings (Kavi Sammelans and Mushairas) have all been filled with innuendos, satire, and social defiance. But as political and religious forces tighten their grip, these art forms are dying. Comedians like Samay Raina are merely filling that void."

The filmmaker added in his post, "The real question is: What happens if the digital generation turns the mirror around? What if they unite and expose the vulgarity, hate, and double standards of politicians, religious leaders, and legacy media? Will they be silenced too? I strongly believe, comedy is a social issue; let society decide its morality. Politics and religion have no authority to interfere. That’s why, trolling on social media is acceptable but debating it in the parliament is a total waste of country’s productivity."

"Just because you have the power to destroy young creators doesn’t mean you should wield it recklessly. A knife in hand does not justify murder. If we truly care about our society, we should nurture creative minds, not lynch them. A society built on #CreativeConsciousness is the only one that can thrive in modern times. Anything else is just resistance to the inevitable," he concluded.

Take a look at his full post here:

All about India's Got Latent controversy

The controversy began after videos of a particular episode of India's Got Latent featuring YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay and social media influencer Apoorva Makhija went viral. During the episode, Ranveer asked a contestant, "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once to make it stop forever?" 

This remark was met with widespread backlash, leading to allegations of promoting obscenity and vulgar content. 

The incident prompted legal actions, with complaints filed against Ranveer, Samay, and other associated individuals. The National Commission for Women (NCW) summoned the involved parties, and the Assam Police registered a complaint against them, citing charges of promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions.

Amid the controversy, Samay decided to remove all episodes of India's Got Latent from his YouTube channel, expressing his intent to cooperate with investigative agencies.