Samay Raina reveals financial struggles after India’s Got Latent controversy; says, ‘I lost everything, I feared going broke and in debt’

Samay Raina has been making headlines since he made a comeback with his new YouTube video Still Alive post his controversy on India’s Got Latent. He shared how he lost all his projects and brand deals during that time. In a podcast with @dostcast, Samay also recalled being depressed and how his family helped him through it. Here’s a look at all you need to know:

Samay said, “I met Kapil Sharma sir. When I met him for the first time, I was so nervous. He knew my jokes, dude! He was saying, ‘That joke was really funny, this one was great, and when Harsh came on the show, that bit was amazing.’ Like, I was so amazed at my own creation I was like, damn, what have I made that people are enjoying it so much?”

Samay shared, “I always meet people, always take photos, always shoot videos because, man, this time will pass. Michael Jackson was once everywhere, constantly in the spotlight. Even Eminem is becoming less relevant over time. So what are we, really? This is the time to enjoy it all, so that when we grow older, we can look back and say, at one point, this mattered, people cared. Because after a while, things fade.”

Samay said, “The first thing my dad sent me during that whole phase was a meme a link to a video on Instagram. I was a complete mess, crying, and when I opened the link, it was a meme. I couldn’t believe it. I laughed so hard that I started crying actually, I was crying because I was laughing. It was insane. Of course, Papa also gave me a lot of advice. He has seen a lot in life. He was in the media too worked his way up from nothing to become a Group Editor, which is a huge position. That’s why his advice was so genuine and valuable. I think I was very lucky in that sense. My dad understood all of this, even when this was happening.”

Samay recalled how he lost everything post India’s Got Latent and how it was the worst phase of his life. He said, “I lost everything. I lost all the upcoming episodes because everyone got scared. They started messaging, ‘Don’t do this episode, don’t release that one.’ The sponsors for those episodes had already paid, and I had already invested that money, so I had to return it. I was in a complete mess. I had multiple projects lined up that I had already shot they got cancelled, and they asked for their money back. I was supposed to travel for shows, but everything got cancelled. I had even signed a deal with BookMyShow, where they had given me an advance for a full tour, and that money was already invested too. At that point, I was completely screwed financially. I genuinely thought, I don’t know what I’m going to do. No brands would come, no work would come. My biggest fear was that I would go broke, end up in debt.”

Samay shared the phase when he dealt with depression post India’s Got Latent. He said, “I remember being in New York City for six days, just lying on the bed. I didn’t even get up. I would just keep checking my phone Twitter, seeing what people were saying. I was eating the same thing every day mashed potatoes with fries, morning and evening. I realised that’s my depressing food. If you ever see me eating that, just ask me once if I’m okay. I felt so depersonalised, like I was watching a movie. Even if Balraj said something, it didn’t feel real. It gave me so much anxiety that I just went back to my room, shut the curtains, and lay there again. It was a mess.”

The comedian said, “I’m trying to understand who I am in a deeper, more spiritual sense. That’s the game I’m playing right now. I’m trying to become a better comedian, that’s one game. I’m also trying to become a better son. I want to spend real time with them. They live in Hyderabad right now, and I want us to stay together in the same house. I want to be around them more because that’s a very core pillar of my life. And today, touch wood, they are there as long as I am there. But life isn’t guaranteed. As I grow older, I realise that more and more.”