Mukesh Khanna reacts to Samay Raina’s controversial jokes in Still Alive during an interview with Zoom, defending Shaktimaan and Amitabh Bachchan while questioning modern comedy trends and viral content culture !

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has finally reacted to comedian Samay Raina and the controversy surrounding his comedy special Still Alive. In an interview with Zoom TV, Khanna spoke at length about the jokes aimed at him, Shaktimaan, and even Amitabh Bachchan and he didn’t hold back.

The issue traces back to Raina’s recent special, where he addressed the India’s Got Latent controversy and the backlash that followed. The situation had already escalated into multiple FIRs against several creators, including Ranveer Allahbadia, Apoorva Mukhija, Ashish Chanchalani and Raina himself. During the set, Raina also took jabs at Khanna, which didn’t sit well with the veteran actor.

Views don’t define value !

Khanna explained that content today is consumed very differently, especially in the digital age. He pointed out that viral numbers don’t necessarily mean quality or responsibility. He said that audiences will naturally watch anything that is freely available online, but that doesn’t make it meaningful. Referring to the massive view count of Raina’s content, he stressed that popularity cannot be the only yardstick. According to him, controversy often becomes the biggest driver of attention but creators must remember their influence, especially on young viewers.

Khanna didn’t just react in the interview he had already expressed his anger earlier. On April 8, Mukesh Khanna took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a strongly worded message aimed at Samay Raina.

In his post, he wrote:

“कुत्ते की दुम टेढ़ी रहती है।, उसे लाख शीशियों में रखो। बाहर निकालो। फिर टेढ़ी की टेढ़ी !!

समय रैना की भी एक दुम है। कितना भी मारो। सीधा करो। वो वापस टेढ़ी हो जाती है।

क्योंकि वो सीधा सादा प्राणी नहीं है। वो रोस्टेड प्राणी है।

गंदगी की आग में जलाया हुआ, पकाया हुआ। पूरे देश ने लताड़ा, मारा। फिर आ गया बेशर्मों की तरह। और मार खाने।

अब एक ही चीज़ बाकी है।

उसका मुंह काला कर गधे पर बिठा कर देश भर के शहरों में उसकी परेड करनी चाहिए, जहाँ बच्चे उसको अंडे, टमाटर मारें। क्योंकि उसने उनके सुपर हीरो शक्तिमान का अपमान किया है !!!”

The post quickly went viral due to its aggressive tone. While some supported Khanna for defending Shaktimaan, others felt the language was too extreme. This earlier reaction adds more context to his latest statements, showing that his anger over the issue has been consistent.

Comedy should not go below the belt !

Khanna didn’t just react to Raina he also criticized the broader trend of “shock-value comedy.” He expressed concern about the kind of language and themes being normalized online.

During the same conversation, he recalled turning down an invitation to The Kapil Sharma Show because he didn’t agree with its style of humor. Instead, he chose to create content on his own terms, where he believes dignity and respect should remain intact. He made it clear that comedy should not “go below the belt” just for laughs or profits. According to him, many creators today are chasing views without thinking about the long-term impact on society.

Reaction to jokes on Shaktimaan !

Khanna also addressed remarks suggesting that Shaktimaan had a negative influence on children something he strongly rejected. He called such claims baseless and reminded that he had already fought and won a case related to similar allegations in the past. He emphasized that an entire generation grew up watching Shaktimaan and benefited from its moral messaging, rather than being harmed by it.

“Why target Amitabh Bachchan?”

One of the strongest parts of Khanna’s reaction was about jokes involving Amitabh Bachchan. He questioned the intent behind dragging a legendary figure into such humor. Quoting author George Orwell, Khanna explained that a joke should carry meaning or spark thought not just exist for cheap laughs. He argued that comparing Raina’s jokes to Orwell’s idea of humor being a “mini revolution” was misplaced. Khanna appeared particularly upset about a joke referencing Bachchan’s personal life, questioning what kind of “revolution” such humor is supposed to create.

“I’m not afraid of trolling” !

Despite the backlash and online trolling from Raina’s fanbase, Khanna made it clear that he isn’t backing down. He acknowledged that fans will naturally support their favorite creator, even if it means targeting him. However, he maintained that he will continue to speak his mind and stand by what he believes is right, regardless of criticism.

In this candid interview Mukesh Khanna didn’t just respond to Samay Raina he raised a larger question about where comedy is headed in the digital era and whether creators are willing to balance freedom with responsibility.