Manoj Bajpayee Responds to Controversy Over Jokes About Immigrants on Samay Rainas Show

Mumbai, August 30: Actor Manoj Bajpayee has addressed the controversy surrounding jokes about immigrants made on comedian Samay Raina’s show, “India’s Got Latent.” He stated that if the humor is light-hearted, there is no issue. Bajpayee emphasized the importance of learning to laugh at ourselves and each other with respect. He also shared a personal anecdote about a bus driver in Delhi who referred to him as “a Bihari.”

Recently, while promoting his upcoming film “Last Man in Tower,” Bajpayee responded to questions about the incident on Raina’s show. He remarked that if the jokes were made in jest, he had no problem with them. During the show, hosts Sharon Verma and Samay Raina playfully teased each other about their backgrounds.

Bajpayee noted, “We should learn to laugh at ourselves and each other. It’s important to have humor without hurting anyone’s feelings. We need to cultivate this understanding. We should have humor about ourselves, but also respect for the person we are with and their background. This is crucial. When two people are comfortable with each other, they can always share a laugh.”

He then recounted an experience from his early days in the national capital when a bus driver spoke to him sternly.

“I was 18 when I was in Delhi, trying to board the bus from the front door, as it was my first experience. I was unaware of the city’s rules. The driver looked at me and shouted, ‘Hey Bihari, get in from the back door.’ He didn’t know I was from Bihar, but I actually am. For him, anyone making such a foolish mistake must be from Bihar. I wasn’t offended because, firstly, he was right that I was from Bihar. Secondly, I wasn’t wrong either, as I was new to the city and completely clueless.”

He continued, “When I made friends with people from different states, we would joke about each other. We never felt offended or hurt. However, problems arise when someone from outside causes trouble for you or your community. Before that, we should be able to laugh at ourselves and each other. This is a sign of a very healthy society.”