Epstein Island joke on Samay Raina's Latent 2 leaves Alia awkward, upsets fans
India's Got Latent Season 2 has returned, but its first episode has already sparked controversy. From backlash over an Epstein Island joke to complaints about the show's format, viewers have plenty to say.
An Epstein Island joke in the premiere episode of India's Got Latent Season 2 has sparked criticism online, placing Samay Raina's show back at the centre of controversy. The new season debuted on Saturday on Netflix and YouTube, with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari joining Raina, Balraj Ghai and Ashish Solanki on the panel.
The episode was widely seen as a chance for the show to move past the controversy that led to its hiatus earlier. However, within hours of its release, viewers began criticising a joke referencing Epstein Island, while others complained that the episode felt overly scripted.
The backlash centred on a segment featuring comedian Avinash Agarwal's Donald Trump impression. During the act, after Samay Raina asked for oil, Avinash's Trump character replied, "Come to the island my friend, there's a lot of oil there" — a remark widely interpreted as a reference to Jeffrey Epstein's Little St. James island.
The Epstein Island joke that Avinash's Trump character made on the show:
The joke drew laughter from some on stage, but viewers were quick to note that Alia Bhatt did not appear to react to the remark. Clips of the moment soon began circulating on social media, with several users discussing her response alongside criticism of the joke itself.
Many viewers described the reference as insensitive, arguing that a location linked to the trafficking and abuse of underage girls should not be the subject of humour. Social media posts labelled the remark "sick", "disturbing" and "disgusting", with criticism mounting shortly after the episode's release.
Why are fans calling the episode scripted?
Beyond the controversy surrounding the joke, viewers also criticised the overall tone of the episode. Throughout the show, Raina exchanged playful roasts with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, while the panellists joined in with jokes and banter.
However, some fans felt the interactions lacked the spontaneity that defined the show's earlier run. One viewer wrote that the episode looked "more scripted than Bigg Boss", while another said it felt closer to a television serial or a Roadies-style audition than the raw, unscripted format audiences had come to expect.
How does this connect to the show's earlier controversy?
The latest backlash comes a year after India's Got Latent was pulled from YouTube following outrage over comments made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia during an earlier episode. The controversy led to multiple police complaints and FIRs against individuals associated with the show, including Samay Raina.
Raina subsequently removed all episodes from YouTube and said he would cooperate with authorities. With the show's social media pages restored and Season 2 now underway, the latest episode has once again placed India's Got Latent under scrutiny, this time over its humour and what some viewers see as a shift away from the format that originally made it popular.
An Epstein Island joke in the premiere episode of India's Got Latent Season 2 has sparked criticism online, placing Samay Raina's show back at the centre of controversy. The new season debuted on Saturday on Netflix and YouTube, with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari joining Raina, Balraj Ghai and Ashish Solanki on the panel.
The episode was widely seen as a chance for the show to move past the controversy that led to its hiatus earlier. However, within hours of its release, viewers began criticising a joke referencing Epstein Island, while others complained that the episode felt overly scripted.
The backlash centred on a segment featuring comedian Avinash Agarwal's Donald Trump impression. During the act, after Samay Raina asked for oil, Avinash's Trump character replied, "Come to the island my friend, there's a lot of oil there" — a remark widely interpreted as a reference to Jeffrey Epstein's Little St. James island.
The Epstein Island joke that Avinash's Trump character made on the show:
The joke drew laughter from some on stage, but viewers were quick to note that Alia Bhatt did not appear to react to the remark. Clips of the moment soon began circulating on social media, with several users discussing her response alongside criticism of the joke itself.
Many viewers described the reference as insensitive, arguing that a location linked to the trafficking and abuse of underage girls should not be the subject of humour. Social media posts labelled the remark "sick", "disturbing" and "disgusting", with criticism mounting shortly after the episode's release.
Why are fans calling the episode scripted?
Beyond the controversy surrounding the joke, viewers also criticised the overall tone of the episode. Throughout the show, Raina exchanged playful roasts with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, while the panellists joined in with jokes and banter.
However, some fans felt the interactions lacked the spontaneity that defined the show's earlier run. One viewer wrote that the episode looked "more scripted than Bigg Boss", while another said it felt closer to a television serial or a Roadies-style audition than the raw, unscripted format audiences had come to expect.
How does this connect to the show's earlier controversy?
The latest backlash comes a year after India's Got Latent was pulled from YouTube following outrage over comments made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia during an earlier episode. The controversy led to multiple police complaints and FIRs against individuals associated with the show, including Samay Raina.
Raina subsequently removed all episodes from YouTube and said he would cooperate with authorities. With the show's social media pages restored and Season 2 now underway, the latest episode has once again placed India's Got Latent under scrutiny, this time over its humour and what some viewers see as a shift away from the format that originally made it popular.
