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Apoorva Makhija and Samay Raina
New Delhi: Comedian and YouTuber Samay Raina has done a collaboration video for skincare brand Deconstruct alongside influencer Apoorva Makhija, better known as Rebel Kid.
The video, shot in a faux‑podcast format, mixes casual banter with not‑so‑subtle plugs for Deconstruct’s sunscreen and Vitamin C serum.
In the clip, Raina jokes to Makhija that after their last meeting he “got STD,” prompting her to correct him to “PTSD.” He doubles down, calling it “Sun Transmitted Disease” before pivoting to the sunscreen pitch, a gag he repeats throughout the video.
Playing on the idea of “daag” (spots), he quipped that some can be removed easily, some require “Raj Shamani” (a nod to the content creator’s interview with Vijay Mallya), and others need Deconstruct’s Vitamin C serum.
When Makhija says she’s been “shunned” from her home, Raina chimes in again, plugging the sunscreen to shield her from direct sunlight.
The collab is another example of Raina turning past controversy into comedic currency. Back in February 2025, his YouTube talent show India’s Got Latent was shut down after guest judge Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) made an obscene remark during an episode featuring Makhija and others. The backlash was swift, including social media outrage, complaints to the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Women’s Commission, and an FIR in Guwahati under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Makhija endured severe online harassment, including rape and death threats, and was dropped from the International Indian Film Academy Awards after protests by the Karni Sena. While Allahbadia issued an apology, Raina responded flippantly, inviting critics to “comment for ad revenue.”
Since then, Raina has leaned into the incident, weaving it into recurring gag material for brand work. He’s shot similar podcast‑style sketches with Raj Shamani for men’s health brand Bold Care and with comedian Ravi Gupta for tech platform Airlearn, keeping the format consistent: easy banter, inside jokes, and slick product placements designed for relatability and virality.
Before the fallout, India’s Got Latent was a magnet for youth‑oriented brands, with episodes crossing 20 million views. Spinny, BoldCare, Veeba, WokTok, and Vastrado all partnered with the show, investing Rs 30–40 lakh per integration to tap into Raina’s irreverent humour and meme‑friendly style.
With Deconstruct and other recent partnerships, Raina seems intent on reclaiming his spot in the influencer‑brand ecosystem, still cheeky, still provocative, and still finding a way to turn a punchline into a product plug.