Alia Bhatt guest on India’s Got Latent S2; RJ Mahvash joins

Viral set photo confirms Alia Bhatt as first guest on India’s Got Latent Season 2; RJ Mahvash also says she will appear.

A photograph that began circulating on social media on Tuesday evening has seemingly confirmed that Bollywood star Alia Bhatt will be the first celebrity guest on the much-anticipated second season of Samay Raina’s comedy show, India’s Got Latent.

The image, reportedly taken by an audience member at The Habitat in Mumbai, shows Bhatt in a casual grey T-shirt and black cap, holding a microphone. Actor Sharvari Wagh is seated beside her at the judges’ table, along with comedian Aashish Solanki and venue owner Balraj Ghai, a close associate of Raina. On the table, the show’s logo — a hand forming a peace sign — now carries a noticeable addition: a handcuff, a clear nod to the legal trouble that engulfed the show’s first season.

Mahvash Says Yes to Samay

In a separate but related development, actor and former radio jockey RJ Mahvash has confirmed she will also appear as a guest on the new season. Speaking to Pinkvilla while promoting her web series Satrangi: Badle Ka Khel, Mahvash said Samay Raina personally invited her. “Samay asked me if I would attend the next season of his comedy show. And I told him I would definitely come for the show,” she said.

Mahvash rose to wider public attention last year amid unverified reports linking her to cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal. The two had unfollowed each other on Instagram, fuelling speculation. During the same interview, she flatly denied any romantic involvement. “No, there was nothing like that. I maintain friendships very well. At that time, he really needed a good friend,” she said, adding that unfollowing or social media breaks are common even among close friends.

‘Humans Do Make Mistakes’

Mahvash also addressed the controversy that derailed India’s Got Latent’s debut season, offering strong support to Raina and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia. She recalled how several digital creators — including Allahbadia — showed up unasked for the trailer launch of her first production, Section 108, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Regina Cassandra. “I didn’t know them personally. For me, Ranveer, Ashish, and all of them were big names, so I called them for the trailer launch, and they all showed up. For me, that is real friendship,” she said.

“I agree that they were wrong, but humans do make mistakes. So let’s not roast them further. I know them as humans, and they are great guys. They never cross their line and disrespect others,” Mahvash added.

The Controversy Recap

For context, India’s Got Latent ran into a storm in February 2025 after Allahbadia made a sexually suggestive remark about parents during an episode. The comment triggered massive social media outrage, multiple First Information Reports, and a summons from the National Commission for Women. Assam Police filed a case against Allahbadia, Raina, and other associated creators. Under pressure, Raina deleted all episodes from his YouTube channel, while Allahbadia issued a public apology. Raina later revealed on a podcast that he had attempted to record an apology video nine times before eventually giving up.

Comeback with a Handcuff Symbol

After months of silence, Raina marked his return with a stand-up special titled Still Alive, where he addressed the emotional toll of the controversy. The new season appears to acknowledge the legal ordeal openly — the handcuff on the show’s logo is unmistakable. The viral photo with Alia Bhatt suggests Raina is not downplaying the past but leaning into it, while also drawing mainstream film promotion.

Promotion for Alpha

Bhatt and Wagh are believed to have shot the episode as part of the promotional campaign for their upcoming Yash Raj Films spy thriller Alpha, which also stars Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol and is scheduled for release on July 10. A show known for edgy humour now doubling as a launchpad for a big-budget action film underlines the strange arc of India’s Got Latent — from a digital underdog, to a legal lightning rod, to a platform capable of pulling in Bollywood’s top names.

Raina has not yet officially announced the premiere date for the second season, nor has he confirmed the guest list. But with a photograph that has set the internet abuzz and Mahvash’s on-record confirmation, the show’s comeback appears to be gathering real momentum. For a property that was all but written off last year, a guest line-up featuring Alia Bhatt is about as loud a statement as one can make.