Mumbai: Stand-up comedian Samay Raina has urged people to be kind to India’s Got Latent contestant Sakshi Jha after episode three sparked backlash over her remarks about men. Raina said Jha had become the subject of memes but appealed to his followers not to troll her beyond limits.
Episode three of India’s Got Latent went viral after Sakshi Jha described herself as a “man hater” and later identified herself as a “feminist”. During the episode, Raghu Ram told her not to call herself a feminist, saying misandry is not what feminism is about. Since the episode was released on YouTube and Netflix, Jha has faced criticism on social media and has become the subject of memes.
Sharing videos on Instagram Stories, Raina joked that after the latest episode was released, he packed his bags and left for Alibag because he expected another controversy.
Samay Raina asks fans to stop targeting Sakshi.( The “men hater” ) Respect over hate. ❤️#SamayRaina #IndiasGotLatent pic.twitter.com/CTgD6alunF
— 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐬𝐞 (@The_Drama_Dose) July 19, 2026
Defending Jha, Raina said, “Bahaut sare memes ban rhe hain ‘man hater’ Sakshi Jha ke (‘Man hater’ Sakshi Jha is the new subject of memes].” He added, “But request hai mere ‘mens’ ke liye [I have a request for ‘mens’), just be kind to her man.”
Raina said India’s Got Latent is a platform where people come and say anything and added, “It’s not easy to be on that stage.”
He said he felt bad that Jha was receiving so much hate and asked people to keep criticism within limits. He added, “But remember, waha par bhi ek insaan hai (Remember that there is a human being at the receiving end).”
Raina also said this was the best opportunity to send Jha love. “It will show her that ‘mens’ are amazing people, too,” he said, adding that the latest episode would not have been a success without her. “You have to give it to her,” he added.
In one of his Instagram Stories, Raina tagged Jha and wrote, “Sending you lots of love from ‘mens’.”
During the show, Jha called herself a “man hater”, reacted with “chhee” (eww) at the mention of “mard” (men), and said she hated her father, grandfather and brother. When questioned by Vishal Dadlani about her stated fantasy of beating her husband, she said she wanted to do so after drinking alcohol and added, “kuchh to alag hona chahiye na” (something should be different).
Jha also said a “good man” is one who blindly follows his wife, or “joru ka gulaam”. Her remarks sparked online debates over feminism, while many social media users said the zeroes she received from every judge reflected their opinion of her performance.
The first episode of India’s Got Latent 2, featuring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh, marked Samay Raina’s return to the show after the controversy surrounding the previous season. The show is available for streaming on Netflix and YouTube.
