Mukesh Khanna defends commercial appearance with Samay Raina

Actor Mukesh Khanna has defended his decision to appear in a mobile phone advertisement alongside comedian Samay Raina, following social media backlash. Critics accused the veteran actor of “selling out” after he had previously voiced strong opposition to Raina’s comedy show, ‘India’s Got Latent’.

Speaking on Subhojit Ghosh’s podcast, Khanna clarified that the collaboration was a professional commercial project and not an endorsement of Raina’s content or his comedy show. He noted that the brand spent approximately 10 days persuading him to participate, as he was initially hesitant due to his public stance against Raina’s work. Khanna stated he only agreed to the campaign after reviewing the script and ensuring changes were made to meet his requirements.

Khanna rejected claims that he had compromised his values, stating, “Shaktimaan nahi bik sakta hai” (Shaktimaan cannot be sold). While maintaining his opposition to what he described as “roasting programmes,” he did offer personal praise for Raina, describing him as an “enterprising” and “sweet” individual.