•Samay Raina hinted at the return of *India’s Got Latent* with a behind-the-scenes photo from a recent shoot on May 28, 2026.
•The comedian also announced the revival of his COB chess tournament with players including Anirban Dasgupta, Balraj Ghai, and others.
•The show faced severe backlash in 2025 after a guest made explicit remarks, leading to FIRs, police investigations, and the deletion of all episodes.
•A viral image reportedly showing Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh as judges fueled speculation about the show’s second season.
•YouTuber AARY’s fiancée revealed her mother was once invited to appear on the show but couldn’t attend due to travel plans.
•Samay Raina addressed the emotional impact of the controversy in his 2026 stand-up special *Samay Raina: Still Alive* and on *The Great Indian Kapil Show*.
•The revival has sparked mixed reactions among fans, with some welcoming the return and others remaining skeptical.
New Delhi, May 28, 2026: Comedian Samay Raina has reignited speculation about the revival of his controversial show *India’s Got Latent*, just over a year after it faced severe backlash for alleged vulgar remarks made during a live episode. On Thursday, Raina took to Instagram Stories to share updates that strongly suggest the show is returning, including a behind-the-scenes photo from a recent shoot.
Raina first teased the return of his long-running COB (Chess of Blogs) chess tournament, a fan-favorite event. He posted a message on his Instagram Story saying, “Organising my favourite chess tournament for old times’ sake! I still love you chat.” Alongside the announcement, he revealed the list of players who will participate in the tournament. The lineup includes Anirban Dasgupta, Vaibhav Sethia, Joel Dsouza, Tracy Alison, Prakhar Gupta, Vivek Desai, and Balraj Ghai.
The comedian also shared a video clip from his recent stand-up special *Samay Raina: Still Alive*, in which he joked about his fanbase. The clip featured the line, “Yeh chess khel raha hai yaha pe?” with the caption “Latent fans in my dms.” However, the most significant clue came from a blurred behind-the-scenes photo from the *India’s Got Latent* shoot. The image showed Raina holding a microphone with comedian Balraj Ghai standing behind him. Raina captioned the image with, “Uski bhi shooting chal rahi hai dosto,” which loosely translates to “Its shoot is also going on, folks.”
This development comes nearly a month after a purported image from the sets of *India’s Got Latent* Season 2 went viral online. The leaked photo reportedly featured Bollywood actresses Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh as part of the judging panel. Neither the production team nor the celebrities have issued any official statement regarding the speculation.
Adding to the buzz, YouTuber AARY’s recent vlog provided an indirect confirmation of the show’s popularity and its controversial appeal. In the video, AARY’s fiancée Yogita revealed that her mother had once been invited to appear on *India’s Got Latent* but could not attend due to a prior commitment to travel to Goa. “Did you know Aunty had received a call to appear on Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent, but she couldn’t go because we were in Goa? If she had gone, we would have sat in the audience. However, whenever she is called next, we will all go,” Yogita shared in the vlog.
The controversy surrounding *India’s Got Latent* erupted last year after guest podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia made an explicit question involving a contestant’s parents during a live episode. The remark triggered widespread outrage on social media, leading to multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) being filed against the show’s creators and panelists. The backlash was so intense that Samay Raina was forced to take down all episodes of the subscriber-only show. The incident sparked national debates on freedom of speech, obscenity in comedy, and accountability among digital content creators.
Following the controversy, Samay Raina stepped back from public appearances for several months. He made a gradual comeback in 2026 with his stand-up special *Samay Raina: Still Alive*, where he openly discussed the emotional trauma and mental health struggles he and his family endured during the fallout. He later appeared on *The Great Indian Kapil Show*, further rebuilding his public image.
The revival of *India’s Got Latent* signals a bold move by Raina to reclaim his space in the entertainment industry despite the past controversies. Fans have reacted with mixed emotions—some have expressed excitement over the potential return of the show, while others remain cautious given the history of backlash. With the blurred faces in the behind-the-scenes photo and the cryptic social media posts, the anticipation around the show’s second season continues to grow.
