Mukesh Khanna: ‘Shaktimaan bik gaya’: Mukesh Khanna trolled as ‘shameless’ after starring in ad with Samay Raina after ‘paraded on donkey’ comment over ‘India’s Got Latent’ | Hindi Movie News
Mukesh Khanna, best known for playing the iconic superhero ‘Shaktimaan’, is facing sharp criticism on social media after appearing in a commercial alongside comedian Samay Raina, the very person he had publicly and harshly attacked just months ago over his YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’. The unexpected collaboration has left many users questioning whether the actor’s earlier outrage was genuine or simply a play for attention.
What does the advertisement starring Samay Raina and Mukesh Khanna show?
The advertisement was shared by Samay Raina following the launch of the second season of ‘India’s Got Latent’. The clip opens with Samay on a phone call, saying: “Thanks, yaar. The show is returning now. As they say, darkness doesn’t prevail for long.”The camera then reveals Mukesh Khanna standing on Samay’s rooftop. A surprised Samay asks, “What are you doing on my roof, sir?”In a deliberate callback to his earlier public attack on the comedian, Mukesh replies, “Teri tedhi dumm seedhi karne ayaa hu, Samay Raina.” He then adds, “After three FIRs, you don’t seem to have learnt a lesson. We will have to paint your face black.” Taking a swipe at Samay’s style of comedy, he says, “You live in India, but your jokes are American style.”The banter eventually pivots to a mobile phone promotion. Samay signs off the ad with a conciliatory, “Sorry, Shaktimaan.”
Internet reacts to the advertisement starring Samay Raina and Mukesh Khanna
The advertisement was not well-received. Social media users were quick to call out Mukesh Khanna for what they saw as a glaring about-face. One user wrote, “Shameless Mukesh Khanna doing an ad with Samay Raina. Where is his respect now??” Another asked pointedly, “Mukesh Khanna went from criticizing Samay Raina to doing an ad with him. Respect or revenue?”Some viewed it through a more strategic lens. A user observed, “Samay is now collaborating with Sunil Pal and Mukesh Khanna after they publicly criticized him over India’s Got Latent. The guy genuinely understands the market and its demand.”Others were less forgiving of Mukesh. One netizen wrote, “Grumpy man! If shamelessness had a face, it would look like Mukesh Khanna. This guy said so many bad things about Samay, but today I found out that all he ever wanted was fame!!”
What had Mukesh Khanna said earlier about Samay Raina over ‘India’s Got Latent’?
The context makes the collaboration all the more striking. Back in April, Mukesh Khanna had launched a scathing attack on Samay after the comedian mocked his Shaktimaan character in his Still Alive show.Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mukesh had written, “Kutte ki dum tedhi rehti hai. Use lakh sheeshiyo main rakho. Baahar nikaalo. Fir tedhi ki tedhi. Samay Raina ki bhi ek dum hai. Kitna bhi maaro, seedha karo, woh waapas tedhi ho jaati hai (A dog’s tail always stays crooked. You can keep it in a thousand tubes to straighten it, but the moment you take it out, it curls back the same way. Samay Raina is like that tail. No matter how much you try to correct him or set him straight, he always goes back to being the same).“He had gone further, adding, “Kiyunki woh seedha prani nahi hai. Woh roasted prani hai. Gandagi ki aag main jalaya hua. Pakaya hua. Poore desh ne latara, maara, fir bhi aa gaya besharmo ki tarah (Because he’s not a straight-laced person. He’s a roasted creature. Burnt in the fire of controversy and criticism. Cooked through and through. The entire country scolded him and came down hard on him, yet he returned as shamelessly as ever).“The remarks had come shortly after Samay had publicly referred to “irrelevant people” trying to grab the spotlight amid the ‘India’s Got Latent’ controversy. The collaboration between Mukesh Khanna and Samay Raina reflects a pattern that has drawn increasing attention; public figures who criticise internet creators often end up working with them, blurring the line between moral outrage and opportunism.
