The latest episode of the popular YouTube show India’s Got Latent, hosted by comedian Samay Raina, has ignited a heated controversy following a joke made by contestant Bunti Banerjee about actress Deepika Padukone’s struggles with depression.
During the episode, Banerjee quipped, “Deepika Padukone also became a mother recently, right? Great, now she knows what depression really looks like.” The joke, followed by laughter from the panel of judges, including Raina, was criticised as insensitive and trivializing mental health issues. Banerjee continued, attempting to clarify, “I’m not trying to insult breakup-wala depression,” but the damage had already been done.
Actress Deepika Padukone has been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness since opening up about her own battle with clinical depression. Her Live Love Laugh Foundation, launched in 2015, has been instrumental in reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness in India. The controversial remarks by Banerjee were perceived as undermining these efforts and sparked widespread backlash online.
Samay Raina’s Response: Humour or Provocation?
Raina, known for his irreverent style, seemed unfazed by the uproar. In a playful Instagram story, he shared a Reddit notification reading, “Comedian’s joke on Deepika’s depression sparks outrage.” Addressing the backlash, he remarked, “To everyone who is outraging on Twitter, one request: Could you please outrage in my YouTube comment section so I get some ad revenue from the traction, at least?”
This response further fueled the controversy, with critics accusing Raina of prioritising engagement over accountability.
Social media reactions
The incident has divided netizens, with many condemning the remarks while others defended comedy’s freedom to push boundaries. Here’s how netizens have reacted:
1. “This is so bad. People die because of depression. To laugh at someone’s struggles shows how insensitive and uneducated this person is. God forbid she or others on the panel face mental health challenges, and someone laughs at their suffering. Only then will they understand what it truly means.”
2. “These women make it difficult for all women by trivializing reproductive health, childbirth, and mental health issues for male validation. Postpartum depression is a real struggle, and mocking it is harmful.”
3. “Crass comedy or punching down is the lowest form of humour. It’s easy to commercialize such jokes, but it’s not respectable as an art form.”
However, some, on the other hand, even defended the argument by calling to dismiss it just as a joke.
4. “Making jokes about mental health doesn’t mean dismissing it. If you get offended by literal words, you miss the deeper context. Laughter can exist alongside sadness—it’s a way of processing pain.”
5. “No need to be overly woke about comedy. Humour is humour; let’s not overthink it. Jokes aren’t meant to be life lessons.”
This controversy has reignited the ongoing debate about the fine line between humour and insensitivity. While some argue that comedy must challenge taboos, others stress the importance of empathy, especially regarding sensitive topics like mental health.