It’s been six months since the first episode of India’s Got Latent dropped on YouTube. When I saw the thumbnail featuring Raftaar scrolling randomly on the app, I thought it might be some clickbait, which worked in my case. I clicked on the video and found it released from Samay Raina’s official channel, and I got hooked till the end.
The inventive show format surged a sense of anticipation to see who would win as it involved a crazy interplay between self-awareness and luck. While it took a little time to get accustomed to the unusual performers and performances, I got the hang of it by the end of the first episode, understanding the use of the word ‘Latent’ instead of ‘Talent’ in the title. However, I could not allow myself to get my expectations high from the show and its possible future despite enjoying it thoroughly.
Firstly, I feared inconsistency. It has been a recurring trait among many prominent creators in the past and present, who brought interesting ideas to the table and later disappeared, or the concept was taken over by streaming platforms—for example, the evolution of channels like The Viral Fever (TVF) and Dice Media. Though I totally comprehend the logistical and financial bandwidth required to put together any such format, I just had enough baggage of the past to carry that I was not actively seeking any more additions.
Second, on a more serious note, I was a bit contemplative of the raw and untamed flow of the show and the comments exchanged at large. It definitely added much realism, spark, and humour, which worked for me. There was an open and mutual back and forth between everyone, making it a level playing field. Unfortunately, the same has been underlined as a concern, which has raised questions and subjected people to public and legal scrutiny in the past—for instance, AIB Knockout in 2015.
Much contrary to my assumptions and expectations, Samay Raina has consistently delivered new, fresh episodes without censoring or tweaking the actual tone, and they have been showered with immense love. All the episodes are raking in unprecedented numbers, with 19 million being the least. People are waiting for the forms to roll out in order to become a part of the show. Regardless of the lines often getting blurred, from both the end of participants and panel members in good humour and banter, the anticipation is only building further, and there hasn’t been any major whistle of scrutiny or controversy yet.
It is rare to witness the internet being so quiet regarding something so edgy. I consider today’s digital landscape highly polarised, sensitive, and active on every matter, which makes it hard to create and maintain a clear majority in your favour. The desire to stand out is often a factor that contributes to such debates. Therefore, I feel compelled to weigh different variables and aspects regarding the present positioning of India’s Got Latent.
Is it because the audience has become more accepting?
No, I don’t think so. I believe the audience, in general, and on the internet, will always find it a bit difficult to accept this zone of comedy that often delves into personal insults and nasty remarks. Even if somebody signs up for their own roast or voluntarily decides to watch something similar, the intricacy of human emotions and experiences makes it hard to predict how actually one might feel and respond in the moment. Notably, it can be traced through the two controversies surrounding The Pretty Good Roast Show this year itself.
Is it because there is a dearth of true reality shows in India?
In the television mainstream space, people have started to realise the pattern in contestants appearing on similar talent-based reality shows and how their personal stories often overpower their personalities and sometimes even their talent. While it continues to resonate with the more senior demographic, the younger audience feels withdrawn because of the several comparisons often put together.
At the same time, there are shows catering to the younger audience, such as Bigg Boss, Roadies, and Spitsvilla, that continue to garner significant eyeballs. Though many might argue that they have lost their original charm and become redundant, the statistical data underlines a different story. According to the Ormax Media-Streaming Originals Mid-Year report, the third season of Bigg Boss OTT topped the list of most-watched Indian unscripted shows in the first half of 2024 with 17.8 million viewership.
However, they have been under the scanner and called out by the internet for bringing in controversial characters and creating scenarios that incite disputes to avail more traction. Now, it can be a point of contention for the contestants that Samay Raina and his team decide to feature on the show and make a part of the final cut.
So, is it because of the format and nature of the show?
Unlike roast and reality shows, where the creators and people participating in it have discussed and consciously set up things to regulate the possible outcomes, India’s Got Latent is more spontaneous and reactionary, as the humour is churned out of the interaction and discussion between the participants and the panel. It is a very democratic setting where both sides hold considerable power to speak against each other.
One of the best examples of this is when Deepak Kalal featured on the panel. There were times when he went too overboard with his remarks that even Samay Raina had to calm him down. So, when the rapper duo Rishikesh and Mihir or the comedian Bhavya Shah roasted him, it turned into an exciting banter that everybody enjoyed. Also, it works the other way around, where the panel has corrected or spoken against people for their certain opinions and thoughts. Mostly, that member is Balraj—the true gentleman—who does not support any lecherous behaviour. It makes the entire format more even, fair, and balanced for everyone.
Moreover, the show is not claiming to be the light in the darkness for artists, aiming to provide a platform to everyone talented out there. In the intro itself, the makers keep their stand clear by referring to it as an “unnecessary reality show.” It primarily came to life because Samay Raina was looking to create a regular property for his YouTube channel. In search of the same, he came across the show Kill Tony which he further modified by adding a pointing system and self-awareness angle. This backstory and inspiration behind India’s Got Latent was shared by Samay Raina in his interview with Shantanu Sanzgiri for DeadAnt.
Today, the show is trying to be more like a litmus test for individuals who believe they have some out-of-the-box hidden skill and give them a live audience to gauge whether it has the potential to work for the masses. Hence, the ratio will always be off-centred, where many performances are an experiment, which can go either way, like in the case of Viral Mistry (Voice Artist), Ansh Das (Car Sound Replication), Suryansh Tiwari (Mimicry), Mohammad Adil (Costume Cutter) or Keshav Jha (Poetry).
Interestingly, in the recent episodes, it can be noticed that contestants are intentionally writing weird and quirky answers while filling out the form to instil a sense of curiosity and get a chance to perform on the stage. It clearly indicates that the people understand the nature of the show and agree with it. Also, some participants have used it to make it a part of their overall performance—for example, comedians like Sharon Verma, Kunal Bhanushali, and Naman Arora in their respective episodes.
But if we are ready to give this benefit of the doubt and excuse this one show, we can probably use the same discretion for other shows as well. They have their own formats and justifications, so we should probably allow them to continue as they wish without forcing any labels.
Then, is it because we love to support an underdog story?
Above all the jokes, winners, numbers, and wackiness, I feel the show has been able to shed light on some truly brilliant artists whom we, as an audience, strongly root for. It does not require any elaborate backstory to make us emotionally resonate with them; it is just their performance and conduct on stage that does the magic. In a way, the show has broken down traditional barriers and created a genuine platform for the common people. One can look at the performer on stage and get an idea of how much the little smile, the little applause, the little laugh, and the little compliment mean the world to them.
I vividly remember when I saw Naman Arora for the first time, and I could not help but fall in love with his act, personality, and humility on stage. When Samay Raina asked him, “Naman bhai, what do you want? Whatever you want, you can have it.” He just started smiling. I could see his eyes getting emotional as he said, “Bas badhiya, bhai. Maja agaya ki taaliyan baj gayi.” And as the audience began applauding again, he kept smiling and quietly lowered his flickering eyes. At that moment, I could connect with him beyond the character he was portraying on stage.
Another beautiful incident happened in the latest episode when Kushal Bhanushali said this line, “Yeh suffering, suffering bolke latent ko talent nahi banana bhai.” It speaks volumes about how an artist or human being craves respect more than sympathy, which the show has been successful in providing to all its artists. The purpose of India’s Got Latent was to make people more self-aware about their art, and it has stood its ground by not letting any commercial entity dictate or amend the terms.
Also, when a certain performer comes on stage who truly deserves all the love and appreciation, the show, the panel, and the audience make it a point to reward them. Whether it is Samay Raina giving comedians a chance to open his show, Badshah coming forward to support Chetan Tambe, Balraj helping artists by offering them a venue for performance, and the audience taking a step forward by following their work, it has helped them greatly to get the due recognition by brands and other platforms and increased the number of opportunities at their doorstep.
Among all these multiple threads, there is one more important story at the centre of Samay Raina, who has stitched everything together. I was introduced to him through Comicstaan but started actively following him in the last couple of years. I have absolutely loved his unfiltered personality on streams, branded content pieces, and stand-up routines available on his channel. However, my perspective of him changed when I saw his podcast with Prakhar this year. It brought his vulnerable side into the public sphere, maybe for the first time, and made me connect to him on a more personal level. I realised there is one thing with Samay Raina you can never question—his integrity and intention—since all he wants is to have some good fun time and ensure people around him enjoy it too. I think the same has played a huge role in the reception and success of India’s Got Latent.
Lastly, I don’t know how long this dream run will continue, to be honest, as people's perception of an artist often goes through a significant change when they reach a certain point in their career. I can only hope for it to carry on as long as possible because I don’t know whether India is ready for Samay Raina's humour or not, but I am sure we would love to have more honest artists and people like him!
Special Thanks: Harsh Dua
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