Stand-up comic and ‘India’s Got Latent’ creator Samay Raina has once again found himself at the center of controversy — and this time, it’s not just a social media storm.

The Supreme Court of India has taken serious note of his alleged remarks about a baby suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare and life-threatening condition that affects muscle strength and movement.

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The issue stems from a bit Samay Raina performed on his show, where he mentioned a two-month-old baby who needed Zolgensma — a gene therapy drug that comes with a jaw-dropping price tag of ₹16 crore.

“Something crazy,” Raina called it on stage, going on to riff, “If you were that mother and one day ₹16 crore landed in your bank account… wouldn’t you at least look at your husband and go, ‘Hmmm… inflation is rising’?”

The joke didn’t sit well with everyone — especially not with the SMA community.

 

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The Cure SMA Foundation of India wasn’t laughing. They filed an intervention with the Supreme Court, urging not only for a legal response but for broader awareness and compassion when speaking publicly about such conditions.

The foundation stressed that raising funds is often the only hope for families whose children need life-saving medicine that most citizens could never afford on their own.

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During a recent hearing, Justice Surya Kant addressed the issue with visible concern. “We are really disturbed by the allegations,” he said. “We place such instances on record… implead the concerned persons… suggest measures. Then we will see.”

This legal stir follows closely on the heels of another recent backlash Raina faced, sparked by a joke about parents and sex on the same show, which also involved content creator Ranveer Allahbadia.

Though Raina is popular for his edgy comedy, critics argue that there’s a fine line between bold humor and insensitivity.

For context, SMA is a genetic disorder that causes muscle wasting and severe physical limitations in infants and young children. The cost of treatment, particularly for drugs like Zolgensma, can be financially devastating.