Actor Mukesh Khanna, best known for his iconic role as Shaktimaan, is facing sharp criticism on social media after appearing alongside comedian Samay Raina in a mobile phone advertisement — just months after publicly and harshly condemning Raina over the explicit content in his YouTube show 'India's Got Latent' and a perceived slight against the Shaktimaan character. The advertisement surfaced around the launch of the second season of 'India's Got Latent', with many users calling Khanna's reversal hypocritical.

What the Advertisement Shows

The promotional clip, shared by Samay Raina, opens with the comedian on a phone call remarking: 'Thanks, yaar. The show is returning now. As they say, darkness doesn't prevail for long.' The camera then reveals Mukesh Khanna standing on Raina's roof, prompting a startled Raina to ask: 'What are you doing on my roof, sir?'

Khanna responds by recycling the very language he had used months earlier to attack the comedian: 'Teri tedhi dumm seedhi karne ayaa hu, Samay Raina' — loosely translated as 'I am here to put you in line, Samay Raina.' He added a reference to the three FIRs filed in connection with Raina's show, saying: 'After three FIRs, you don't seem to have learnt a lesson. We will have to paint your face black.' He also took a dig at Raina's comedy style: 'You live in India, but your jokes are American style.'

The exchange eventually pivots to a product endorsement, with the two advertising a mobile phone. Raina closes the ad with: 'Sorry, Shaktimaan.'

Social Media Backlash Against Khanna

The collaboration has drawn widespread ridicule online, with users accusing Mukesh Khanna of abandoning his stated principles for commercial gain. One user wrote: 'Shameless Mukesh Khanna doing an ad with Samay Raina. Where is his respect now??' Another questioned his motives directly: 'Mukesh Khanna went from criticizing Samay Raina to doing an ad with him. Respect or revenue?'

A third user framed it as a pattern, noting that Raina had now collaborated with both Sunil Pal and Mukesh Khanna — two of his most vocal public critics — after their respective condemnations: 'Samay genuinely understands the market and its demand.' Others were less charitable, labelling Khanna a 'grumpy man' and suggesting his earlier outrage was motivated by a desire for attention rather than genuine moral concern.

The Original Feud: What Khanna Said in April

The feud dates to April, when Khanna publicly slammed Raina after the comedian reportedly took a dig at the Shaktimaan character in his 'Still Alive' show. Khanna posted on X (formerly Twitter), comparing Raina to a 'kutte ki dum' (a dog's tail) — an idiom for someone incapable of reform — and described him as 'burnt, baked in the fire of his own filth.'

The full post read in part: 'Kutte ki dum tedhi rehti hai. Use lakh sheeshiyo main rakho. Baahar nikaalo. Fir tedhi ki tedhi. Samay Raina ki bhi ek dum hai...' Khanna's remarks came days after Raina had publicly alluded to 'irrelevant people' attempting to ride his controversy for visibility — a comment widely read as aimed at his critics.

Context: India's Got Latent Controversy

Samay Raina's 'India's Got Latent' became one of the most controversial entertainment properties in recent Indian digital media history, drawing three FIRs over explicit language and adult content. Multiple public figures condemned the show, with Khanna among the most vocal. The launch of Season 2 and the accompanying advertisement with Khanna has reignited debate over the line between public moral posturing and private commercial interest.

Whether this collaboration signals a genuine reconciliation or simply reflects the economics of digital-era celebrity remains an open question — one that Raina's audience, at least, appears to be watching closely.