Premiere Episode Splits the Audience
India's Got Latent 2 returned with its first episode on June 20, bringing Alia Bhatt and Sharvari on board as guests for the premiere. The comeback was highly anticipated, but the audience reaction that followed was sharply divided. A large section of viewers took to social media to express disappointment, saying the show had become 'too filtered' and no longer carried the unfiltered, spontaneous energy that made its first season so popular.
Ashish Chanchlani Takes to Instagram to Push Back
Amid the wave of criticism, Ashish Chanchlani, who was himself part of the controversy that surrounded the show in 2025, stepped in to defend Samay Raina. Through his Instagram Story, he urged viewers to hold back their judgment and consider the larger picture before criticising the direction Season 2 has taken. He wrote:
'For people saying Latent has too many filters or it has lost its charm or stuff like that... just remember we had to fight legal battles for a year where we promised to stay within limits and make sure history doesn't repeat itself.'
A Year of Legal Proceedings That Shaped Everything
Chanchlani reminded fans that after the 2025 controversy, Samay Raina, Apoorva Mukhija, Ranveer Allahbadia, and Chanchlani himself spent a full year navigating legal processes. During that period, the team made commitments to operate within specific boundaries going forward and to ensure that history would not repeat itself. That context, Chanchlani argued, is what explains the more restrained tone viewers are noticing in Season 2.
Samay Raina's Behind-the-Scenes Battle to Bring the Show Back
Chanchlani also shed light on how close Season 2 came to never existing at all. He wrote:
'It was almost certain that the show was not coming back, but somehow Samay Raina made sure he brings it back for all of you. He has fought countless battles behind the scenes. Season 2 was a very difficult and almost impossible dream. Sometimes things have to be done, so please support him and enjoy.'
His appeal to fans was straightforward: the existence of Season 2 is itself a result of Samay Raina's persistent effort and behind-the-scenes struggle, and that deserves recognition rather than criticism over how the show sounds today.
