After India’s TikTok ban, Vishal Sharma saw Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent as a possible second chance at fame. He had once built a following of more than 1.5 million on TikTok and earned around Rs 40,000–60,000 a month through advertising, but his income and audience declined sharply after the platform was banned in India in 2020.
Sharma appeared in one of the final episodes filmed for Season One, along with 13 other contestants, but the episode was never released. The show was cancelled after the controversy involving Ranveer Allahbadia, and its existing videos were removed from YouTube. Sharma had expected his appearance to air after seeing a promotional photograph of himself with Samay Raina shortly before the controversy.
For Sharma, who had spent around eight years in Mumbai trying to establish himself as an actor, the lost episode represented another missed opportunity. He now earns money by working as a “Silver Man” at Bandstand in Bandra, covering himself in silver paint and performing as a living statue. His earnings can range from about Rs 70–80 on poor evenings to around Rs 1,000 on better days, while he continues auditioning for acting roles.
Another contestant from the unaired episode, theatre artist Saurabh Kingrani from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, had also hoped the show's large online audience would help him gain recognition. He has since returned to Sambhajinagar and is preparing a new character for a possible future appearance.
The contrast is particularly stark because India’s Got Latent became a major launchpad for some contestants. Season Two participant Sukrut Deo now has more than 4.64 lakh Instagram followers, while comedian Avinash Agarwal, known for his Donald Trump impersonation, has crossed 4.7 lakh followers.
The controversy surrounding Season One eventually reached the courts. The Supreme Court later quashed criminal proceedings against Samay Raina and several others linked to the controversy, while the show returned with a second season on Netflix and YouTube.
For the 14 contestants whose episode was never released, however, the revival came too late. What they had hoped would be their breakthrough instead became a missed opportunity—leaving them, as the report puts it, “latent.”
