In one of the most unexpected collaborations of the year, veteran actor Mukesh Khanna and comedian Samay Raina have come together for a commercial, leaving social media users completely stunned. The partnership has particularly shocked fans because just a few months ago, the man best known as television’s iconic Shaktimaan had publicly lashed out at Raina, using some extremely harsh words against the comedian.
The dispute between the two began during the first season of Samay Raina’s controversial YouTube show, India’s Got Latent. The show faced criticism and multiple FIRs over its explicit humour and provocative content. Mukesh Khanna emerged as one of the show’s loudest critics and didn’t hold back while expressing his disapproval.
At the time, Khanna had accused Raina of promoting vulgarity and had called him “kutte ki dumm,” suggesting that the comedian would never change. He had even remarked that Raina deserved to have his face blackened and be paraded on a donkey for mocking the beloved superhero character, Shaktimaan, during one of his comedy bits. The actor’s comments generated massive debate online, with some supporting his stance and others accusing him of overreacting.
That is precisely why their latest collaboration has caught everyone off guard.
The duo recently appeared together in a commercial promoting a smartphone brand alongside the launch of India’s Got Latent Season 2. Interestingly, the advertisement doesn’t ignore their bitter past. Instead, it cleverly uses their real-life feud as its central theme.
The commercial opens with Samay celebrating the return of his show and declaring that “darkness doesn’t prevail for long.” Moments later, Mukesh Khanna makes a dramatic superhero-style entrance. Looking directly at the comedian, he says, “Teri tedhi dumm seedhi karne aaya hoon, Samay Raina” (I have come to straighten you out, Samay Raina).
The playful banter continues with Khanna lecturing the comedian about his “American-style vulgar jokes” and even threatening to blacken his face, before the conversation suddenly shifts to promoting the product. The ad ends on a humorous note, with Samay cheekily saying, “Sorry, Shaktimaan.”
The internet, however, remains divided. While many viewers called it a brilliant marketing move and an unexpectedly legendary crossover, others accused Mukesh Khanna of hypocrisy. Comments such as “Shaktimaan bik gaya” quickly went viral, with critics questioning how someone who once strongly condemned the comedian was now appearing alongside him in an advertisement.
At the same time, several users praised Samay Raina’s ability to turn even his harshest critics into collaborators. Whether viewed as smart marketing or a surprising change of heart, one thing is certain—nobody saw this crossover coming.
