'I'm Nobody To Tell Samay Raina...': Raghu Ram Says He Does Not Regret Being Part Of India's Got Latent
Raghu Ram, who recently appeared before the Maharashtra Cyber Department, stated that he did not regret being a part of Samay Raina's show, India’s Got Latent but wished certain jokes had been left out.
Actor and reality show judge Raghu Ram, who recently appeared before the Maharashtra Cyber Department in connection with the ongoing probe into Ranveer Allahbadia's controversial remarks on Samay Raina's show, India’s Got Latent, stated that he did not regret being a part of the show but wished certain jokes had been left out.
Raghu Ram's statement on Instagram
Raghu took to Instagram and wrote a long note that read, “I do not regret being a part of IGL. I wish the show had not included some jokes that caused such hurt. Sensibilities of a paying audience in a show can differ from a larger YouTube audience. I might have kept some jokes out of the episode, but I am nobody to tell Samay or the makers what jokes to keep and which, if any, words to beep. It is their call, and I'm sure they don't take that responsibility lightly."
He further elaborated on the importance of artistic freedom, adding, "Freedom of speech is meaningless without the freedom to offend. Offence is often taken even when none is intended. But of course, I am sorry if I have actually caused hurt to anyone. Comedians push boundaries, call out to society and speak truth to power while entertaining. But no comedian sets out to hurt sentiments. And they would be the first to apologise if they did."
“I do hope society maintains a proper perspective on the scale of this issue compared to others that need more outrage,” he concluded.
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What Raghu told authorities
Following the summons, Raghu Ram visited the Maharashtra Cyber Cell office on February 13 to provide his statement. According to sources, Raghu told investigators that it was the responsibility of Samay Raina to edit the content before releasing the show. He stressed that any explicit language used during the program should have been removed in the editing process.
Insiders also indicate that Raghu acknowledged using inappropriate language during the show and expressed regret over it. He further clarified that the remarks were made in the heat of the moment and were never intended to offend anyone.
He is among at least 50 individuals summoned for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
The controversy surrounding India’s Got Latent
The controversy erupted after remarks made by Ranveer Allahbadia on the show. The episode featured prominent content creators such as Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Mukhija. During the show, Allahbadia posed an inappropriate question to a contestant, asking, "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?"
The statement was met with widespread outrage online, leading to severe criticism and backlash. In response, Allahbadia issued an apology, calling it a lapse in judgment.
Following the backlash, Samay Raina deleted all the episodes of the show from his YouTube channel.
Also read: Raghu Ram Summoned For Questioning In 'India’s Got Latent’ Controversy
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