The third episode of India’s Got Latent quickly became a talking point due to contestant Sakshi Jha’s comments during her performance. She described herself as a “man hater” and later said she was a “feminist”.“In response, Raghu Ram told her not to identify as a feminist if she believed misandry represented feminism. After the episode was released on YouTube and Netflix, Jha faced intense backlash on social media. The teacher from Bihar soon became the focus of memes on social media. Amidst this, Samay Raina has appealed to viewers to show compassion towards Sakshi, after episode three triggered widespread criticism for her comments about men. Taking to social media, Raina acknowledged that Jha had become the target of countless memes, but urged people not to let trolling cross the line into personal attacks. He joked that he had packed his bags and headed to Alibag as soon as the episode aired, saying he knew another controversy was likely to follow.In one of her videos, Raina directly addressed the trolling. “Bahaut sare memes ban rhe hain ‘man hater’ Sakshi Jha ke (‘Man hater’ Sakshi Jha is the new topic of memes].” He followed it up with a call, “But request hai mer ‘mens’ ke liye [I have a request for ‘mens’), just be kind to her man.”Explaining his perspective, Raina said India’s Got Latent is a platform where contestants often say unexpected things and added that performing on its stage is far from easy. He admitted he was saddened by the amount of hate directed at Jha and asked viewers to ensure their criticism remained respectful. While he said he had no objection to light-hearted jokes, he reminded people, “But remember, waha par bhi ek insaan hai (Remember that there is a human being at the receiving end).“The comedian also encouraged his followers to support Jha, saying it was the perfect opportunity to send her kindness. “It will show her that ‘mens’ are amazing people, too,” he remarked. Raina further credited Jha for making the latest episode memorable, saying that without her contribution, it would not have been as successful. “You have to give it to her,” he added.In another Instagram Story, Raina tagged Jha and wrote, “Sending you lots of love from ‘mens’.” During her appearance on the show, Jha repeatedly referred to herself as a “man hater” and reacted with “chhee” (eww) while making a face whenever “mard” (men) were mentioned. She also claimed that she hated her father, grandfather and brother, saying she had even told her father this directly.When Vishal Dadlani asked her about her stated fantasy of hitting her husband, Jha clarified that she wanted to do it after consuming alcohol. Defending the comment with humor, he said that as someone from Generation Z, “kuchh to alag hona chahiye na” (something should be different).Jha also described a “good man” as someone who obeys his wife without question, or a “joru ka gulaam”. Her remarks quickly spread online, sparking debates about feminism and leading many users to argue that the zero scores she received from all the judges accurately reflected her performance on India’s Got Latent 2.The second season of India’s Got Latent marked the return of Samay Raina after the controversy surrounding the previous season. Its initial episode, with actors Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh, received mixed reactions, with some viewers welcoming the return of the show, while others felt it lacked the spontaneous, unfiltered charm that had once made it a viral sensation.