Samay Raina Faces Backlash After Sharp Reaction to Couple During Live Show

Stand-up comedian Samay Raina has made his return to live performances with his new show, Still Alive and Unfiltered, following the India’s Got Latent controversy. His comeback has already created mixed conversations online, and one audience member who attended his recent Mumbai show shared an honest account of the experience. The viewer said the set included a combination of jokes, personal storytelling and emotional moments. Samay spoke about anxiety, opened up about his own struggles and discussed how men often hide their feelings, which, according to them, made parts of the show feel authentic.

Samay Raina

However, the attendee also mentioned an incident that left them uncomfortable. They recalled that a couple seated in the front row had a small child who made a faint sound, after which Samay reacted sharply. He reportedly called them out, raised his voice and asked them to leave. Even after the couple shifted several rows behind, he insisted again that they exit the venue. The viewer felt this behaviour contradicted his earlier conversation about kindness and empathy.

The individual shared this experience on Reddit, mentioning that the show felt like a blend of humour, emotion, rawness and self-awareness, but also awkward at one point. They noted that because of the earlier Latent controversy and the FIRs, Samay became a widely discussed name, and while he has used that attention to his advantage, the high ticket price—around Rs 4,000—felt too steep for what they considered an average performance.

They also pointed out that Samay’s comedy style differs from many popular comedians. According to them, he frequently uses vulgar humour and explained it as a deliberate choice. He suggested that performers online build characters, and starting with explicit jokes gives him the freedom to shift into different themes later, something he felt wouldn’t work as easily if he began with cleaner material. Besides the jokes, he discussed his anxiety, expressed emotional vulnerability and spoke about issues like freedom of speech and the lack of civic sense.

The viewer said the incident with the child stood out the most. They mentioned the child was around two or three years old and had only made a small noise when Samay responded aggressively, using harsh words and instructing the couple to leave. Even after they moved farther back, he repeated the instruction. The attendee felt this was unnecessary, especially since the comedian had only moments earlier spoken about empathy, emotional suppression and social behaviour. They added that if they were in a similar situation with their own family, the evening would have been ruined, and that Samay could have simply requested the couple to shift seats politely instead of escalating the moment.

Overall, the viewer said the show had honest and humorous sections with emotional depth and self-reflection, but the high pricing, average comedy and the unpleasant interaction overshadowed it. They advised that anyone planning to attend should be prepared for Samay’s completely unapologetic persona—whether one likes it or not.

Social media users also reacted to the Reddit post. One commenter claimed he had behaved similarly in Chennai and said the act felt scripted. Another person stated that they would never pay Rs 4,000 for any show, considering it too expensive for a few hours of entertainment. Some suggested that all Still Alive shows follow the same structure across cities, including Bengaluru and overseas, implying that Samay has been repeating the same material for months.

Others questioned why parents would bring a toddler to an adult comedy show in the first place. Another user suggested that Samay’s reaction may have been a precaution, since his shows are 18+, and pointed out that organisers should not have allowed a two-year-old inside if the event indeed had an age limit.

Before the Mumbai leg, Samay Raina had performed Still Alive and Unfiltered in Bengaluru.