Comedian Samay Raina found himself at the centre of an unexpected “full circle” moment on Wednesday when Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis felicitated him at a cyber-awareness event in Mumbai.
Raina was honoured for his contribution to Maharashtra Cyber’s short film Digital Arrest and the 1930 Maharashtra Cyber Anthem. The event also featured celebrities including Pankaj Tripathi, Ashish Vidyarthi, Sharad Kelkar, Sonali Bendre, Javed Jaffrey, Sunidhi Chauhan and Mangesh Desai.
Samay Raina jokes about his Maharashtra Cyber connection
While accepting the felicitation, Raina thanked Fadnavis and made a tongue-in-cheek reference to his previous interactions with the Maharashtra Cyber Cell.
“Thank you for the felicitation, sir. My association with Maha Cyber has been going on for a very long time. 1930 is really a great number. I have actually saved it because I often get calls from there,” he said.
Continuing the joke, Raina said the cyber cell was “very active” and quipped that it could track people whether they were in India or elsewhere.
He also referred to the earlier episode when a cyber cell officer visited a comedian’s home during the India’s Got Latent controversy, contrasting that experience with his latest felicitation.
Why was Samay Raina questioned by Maharashtra Cyber?
Raina’s comments referenced the controversy surrounding his YouTube comedy show India’s Got Latent in February 2025.
The controversy erupted after guest Ranveer Allahbadia made an objectionable remark involving parents and sex during an episode. The incident triggered widespread backlash and multiple FIRs involving Allahbadia, Raina and others associated with the show.
Maharashtra Cyber subsequently investigated the matter over allegations involving obscene and sexually explicit content. Raina was summoned for questioning and eventually appeared before officials in Mumbai.
Following the controversy, episodes of India’s Got Latent were removed from YouTube.
From cyber scrutiny to cyber-awareness campaign
Raina’s appearance at Wednesday’s event marked a striking contrast to his earlier interaction with Maharashtra Cyber.
The comedian later shared footage of his felicitation on Instagram, with fans describing the moment as a “full circle moment.” Several followers praised his return to the public spotlight.
Raina has since returned to India’s Got Latent, with Season 2 episodes being released on YouTube and Netflix.
What was the Maharashtra Cyber event about?
The event was organised to launch the cyber-awareness short film Digital Arrest and the 1930 Maharashtra Cyber Anthem, aimed at educating citizens about online fraud and cybercrime.
Fadnavis highlighted the importance of using popular culture to spread awareness about cyber threats. He said artists, actors and singers can help communicate cyber-safety messages to a wider audience.
The participating celebrities were felicitated for their contributions to the awareness campaign.
For Raina, however, the ceremony carried an added layer of irony: after once being questioned by the state’s cybercrime authorities, he was now being publicly honoured for helping promote their cyber-safety message.
