Actor Mukesh Khanna has addressed the criticism he received after appearing alongside comedian Samay Raina in a recent advertisement. Khanna had been one of Raina’s vocal critics during the India’s Got Latent controversy, and his appearance with the comedian prompted some social media users to accuse him of having “bik gaya” and abandoning his earlier position.Responding to the backlash, Khanna clarified that the appearance was part of an advertisement for a mobile phone brand and had nothing to do with Raina’s controversial show. Speaking on Subhojit Ghosh’s podcast, the actor revealed that the brand spent around 10 days trying to convince him to take up the project.Khanna recalled being hesitant about sharing the screen with Raina, given his previous criticism of the comedian and his demand that the show be stopped. He eventually agreed to consider the offer after asking to see the script. He was also assured that modifications could be made if the content did not meet his requirements.Addressing those who felt he had compromised his principles by working with Raina, Khanna questioned what exactly had changed in his stance. He pointed out that he had never publicly praised the comedian or endorsed India’s Got Latent.“Mere log nahi bolenge ki mein bik gaya. Agar mujhe kharidte toh mein bhi gaali-galaoch karta na? Where did I bow down to say he is nice? He was trying… he is very smart. Shaktimaan nahi bik sakta hai, mein uske show mein nahi gaya,” Khanna said.The actor also recalled criticising the Supreme Court over its decision concerning the FIRs linked to Raina. He maintained that his views on the kind of content featured on India’s Got Latent remain unchanged and reiterated his opposition to what he described as “roasting programmes” of this nature.
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At the same time, Khanna made it clear that his personal assessment of Raina was separate from his criticism of the comedian’s content. He described Raina as an “enterprising” individual and suggested that the comedian understands how controversy and negativity can draw viewers and generate revenue.Talking about his interaction with Raina during the advertisement shoot, Khanna said, “I found him a very sweet person, cracking jokes. He told me 10 jokes, very very positive.”Despite working with Raina for the commercial, Khanna stressed that his position on India’s Got Latent has not changed. He continues to oppose the show and remains critical of what he considers below-the-belt humour and jokes.
