Why Samay Raina's Still Alive Is Beyond Comedy

Samay Raina is back in the headlines. The stand-up comedian recently delivered a special act titled ‘Still Alive’ and the full, 1-hour 21-minute episode is now available on YouTube. While Samay’s comic timing and sense of humour have once again left everyone laughing out loud, it should be noted that Still Alive is not just a comic act; it is beyond it.

During the episode, we saw Samay Raina finally addressing the elephant in the room – India’s Got Latent controversy. But he also opened up on topics other than this – comedy in India, bullying in school and his identity as a Kashmiri Pandit. Let’s understand how.

Samay Raina Breaks Down, Calls IGL Row

The ‘Still Alive’ act was not just about humour. It was also an emotional monologue. While Samay shared his side of the story, others

listened with their eyes numb. During the stint, the comedian broke down in tears and admitted that he was feeling ‘guilty’ when the panel members on his show were being attacked.

“Gunde aa chuke the, Habitat main tod phod chal rahi thi, police aa gayi. Wahan pe kuch 20-30 police wale aa gaye, Apoorva Mukhija ko rape threats aa rahe hain, uski family ko death threats aa rahe hain. Ranveer ki mom, bechari ka ek clinic hai, wahan pe gunde ghus gaye hain, she had to run from the back gate,” he said.

Samay then recalled how Balraj Ghai’s elderly parents pleaded at the feet of the police and added, “Habitat ke andar, Balraj ke maa baap, who are in their 70s, unki koi galati nahi hai, they just run that comedy club jahan hum shoot karte the. Andar voh jawan jawan policewalo ke paeron (feet) main gire hue the, ‘Sir, please hume jaane do, humne kuch nahi kiya hai.’ I fucking broke down looking at the video, and I was just crying.”

‘India Is Not A Platform To Showcase Art’

Samay Raina made a big statement in his ‘Still Alive’ show while talking about the backlash he faced in 2025 after India’s Got Latent controversy. He Samay expressed disappointment with the reaction that the row received and said, “I could not believe it, the scale they took it was insane, disproportionate. Ek chote se joke ke liye itna kaise kar sakte ho yaar.”

Samay also explained that whatever they say online is only a “character”. “You are never watching us as who we are,” he said, adding, “India mein safe raho bas. India mein internet is not a platform to showcase your art. In India, internet is a game, we play to set a high score in our bank accounts.”

Samay Raina On His Identity As A Kashmir Pandit

While referring to Ranveer Allahbadia’s comment on India’s Got Latent, Samay Raina made a comment which was not only intentional but also deep. “I didn’t even say anything in that episode. I was sitting quietly in the corner. Hum Kashmiri crossfire mein hi marte hain… Hell broke loose…,” he said.

Later in the episode, Samay recalled how his parents had to leave Kashmir overnight and added, “My mom and dad got married in Kashmir. They were living a great life in the early 90s. My father was a very respected news reporter. Then we all know what happened. We had to leave the valley. My parents went to New Delhi. But they did not like it. They went back in 1996. I was born in 1997, and in 1998, a bullet was fired at our home. We left overnight. In search of a new private job, he landed in Hyderabad.”

However, as a proud Kashmiri, Samay also shared motivating words: “When the fight is not fair, you f*** off from there. We are five per cent in Kashmir. If my parents would have taken up arms, saying ‘We’ll fight for our motherland, they all would have died. I’m so glad all the Kashmiri Pandits fled the Valley overnight. Today we are still alive, still killing it, still f***ing rocking it wherever we are. That’s what it is about sometimes, it’s about survival.”

Samay Raina On Racism, Bullying 

Samay also touched on another key topic in his Still Alive – racism. He revealed that when he joined a school in Hyderabad after moving from Kashmir, he was beaten up on the first day itself. “I was not able to fit in. There were all Telugu kids. They had their own gangs. I looked different from them. They just bullied me for years in that school. I just did not understand why.”

Also See: Samay Raina Reveals The Habitat’s Elderly Owners, Who Are Above 70, Had To Beg For Mercy At Young Policemen’s Feet

Samay then explained that racism is not just with blacks but could also be with others. “Mere saath racism hua hai. Koi maanega yeh baat? Log bolte hai kaalo ke saath nahi karna chahiye. Goro ke saath bhi nahi karna chahiye. Racism and discrimination are not about who has darker skin. It is about who is different, who is most unlike you.”

Samay broke down in tears as he recalled how he was beaten up and humiliated in that school. “I was frightened,” he said.