Puneet Superstar to Deepak Kalal: Samay Raina's wild OTT plans that never happened

Comedian Samay Raina has opened up about the ambitious digital expansion he was working on before the India’s Got Latent controversy disrupted his plans. Speaking about the phase during promotions for his stand-up special Still Alive, Raina said he was in the middle of building a creator-driven OTT-style platform when everything came to a halt.

Building a creator-led OTT vision

In a recent interaction on Chalchitra Talks, Raina shared that he had already begun laying the groundwork for a content ecosystem powered by independent creators. He had launched YouTube memberships, built a dedicated app, and was seeing rapid growth in subscriber support.

According to him, the response was so strong that even the platform was surprised by how effectively memberships were being monetised. With a growing base and a clear roadmap, Raina said he was ready to scale the idea into a full-fledged OTT-like space for exclusive content.

He had also begun assembling a small team and commissioning multiple shows, with plans to fund and distribute them through a members-only model.

Unconventional shows in the pipeline

Raina described the kind of programming he had envisioned—quirky, chaotic, and designed for digital virality. One of the concepts involved content creator Puneet Superstar, where each episode would feature guests attempting to “educate” him on different topics, culminating in a public speech reflecting what he learned.

Another idea featured Deepak Kalaal, built around resolving real-life disputes in a dramatic, panel-style format. Raina said he had even reached out to legal professionals to source unusual cases that could be turned into engaging content.

Controversy brought everything to a pause

However, just as these plans were gaining momentum, the controversy surrounding India’s Got Latent—triggered by remarks made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia—led to backlash, legal complaints, and intense online scrutiny.

Raina admitted that the episode significantly affected his motivation at the time, forcing him to pause the projects he had been developing.

Finding support in his audience

During that period, Raina said he stayed largely silent on public platforms but remained connected to his core audience through members-only interactions.

He shared that he would occasionally post simple updates just to read supportive comments, which helped him cope during a difficult phase. For him, that consistent backing became a reminder that his work still resonated with viewers, even amid the noise.

While those OTT plans are currently on hold, Raina indicated that he hopes to revisit them in the future, especially for the audience that stood by him when it mattered most.