Filmmaker Agnihotri Defends Samay Raina's Right to Free Speech

Mumbai- Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has spoken out in defense of comedian Samay Raina amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the India’s Got Latent row. While supporting Raina, Agnihotri also offered him a word of caution, urging him to be mindful of how he exercises his freedom of expression.

In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), Agnihotri framed the issue as a conflict between rapid technological evolution and traditional societal morals. He argued that the digital generation, to which Raina belongs, operates with a different mindset than older generations, making mutual understanding difficult.

Agnihotri emphasized that India has historically embraced irreverent humor in cultural expressions such as Nautanki, Parsi theatre, and Kavi Sammelans. He called out what he saw as selective outrage over vulgarity in comedy, questioning why comedians are targeted while political and religious figures escape similar scrutiny.

The filmmaker warned that if young digital creators like Raina start exposing the double standards of politicians, religious leaders, and legacy media, they too might face suppression. He concluded that while social media trolling is part of the discourse, dragging such issues into Parliament is counterproductive. Instead, he urged society to nurture creativity rather than stifle it, arguing that a culture rooted in “creative consciousness” is the only way forward.