Manoj Bajpayee speaks up on Samay Raina, Sharon Verma joke row

Manoj Bajpayee has weighed in on the ongoing debate around comedians Samay Raina and Sharon Verma.

Manoj Bajpayee has weighed in on the ongoing debate around comedians Samay Raina and Sharon Verma. The controversy stems from their recent exchange on India’s Got Latent Season 2. The segment triggered backlash over jokes referencing Bihar, Kashmir, and the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits. Political figures have also taken notice of the growing row.

Speaking to IANS, Manoj addressed the situation directly. He said he has no problem with people joking about each other’s backgrounds, as long as the humour stays respectful. According to him, such jokes are fine when they come from a place of jest. He believes people should learn to laugh at themselves and at others without taking instant offence.

However, the actor was careful to draw a line. He stressed that comedy should never compromise basic respect between people. Manoj explained that close friends often tease each other about their backgrounds naturally. That kind of banter, he noted, works only when both sides understand and accept it.

The controversy began after a recent episode of the show aired an exchange between Samay and Sharon. Sharon brought up Samay’s Kashmiri Pandit heritage during the segment. Samay hit back with jokes referencing Sharon’s roots in Bihar. The back-and-forth quickly caught attention once clips began circulating online.

Short clips from the episode spread rapidly across social media platforms. This sparked a wave of mixed reactions from viewers watching the exchange. Some viewers defended the moment as harmless comedy between two performers, arguing it fit the show’s roast-style format. Others were not as forgiving, raising concerns about jokes touching on regional identity and historical displacement.