The ₹370 Biryani Controversy Explained
Stand-up comic Pranit More is finally speaking up after that viral clip took over the internet. You know the one — a guy from the audience, Himanshu Jangra, went on a rant about spending ₹370 on chicken biryani and expecting something in return from a woman. The crowd laughed, Pranit laughed, and the moment passed. But the internet wasn’t laughing. The clip spread like wildfire, and soon enough, Maharashtra Cyber Police stepped in and filed an FIR against both Pranit and Himanshu. Even Dr. Sejal Pawar, a doctor who cracked a separate joke about male cadavers during the same show, found herself in trouble — she was sent on forced leave from KEM Hospital.
The National Commission for Women took note too, and suddenly a simple crowdwork bit turned into a full-blown legal mess. People were furious, calling the joke misogynistic and transactional. They said Pranit should have shut Himanshu down the moment things crossed the line. Instead, he just moved on — and that silence, many argued, was as good as an endorsement.
Pranit More’s Apology and Fallout
After his Instagram account got suspended, Pranit made a comeback this week with a video apology. No excuses, no blame game. He owned up. “It was a lapse in judgment,” he admitted. “I should have stopped him and taken a stand, but I didn’t. By giving him that platform, everything just escalated.” He didn’t hide behind ‘cancel culture’ or ‘it’s just a joke’ — he straight up said he deserves the hate. “I deserve the hate, but…” he trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.
Pranit explained that during crowdwork, things can get carried away. Everyone was laughing, even him. “I got carried away. I messed up. It was a lapse,” he said. He’s now cooperating with the investigation and working on himself. “Honestly, this was a learning experience for me. I’m working on myself, and I’ll work on my content too.” He asked the public for one more chance: “Just give me one chance, I want to be a better person, and you’ll see it in my work.”
But the question remains — will people forgive and forget? Some say owning up is a good start, but others want more. The FIR is still active, and Maharashtra Cyber Police are reviewing videos from that night. Himanshu, the audience guy, hasn’t spoken yet. Meanwhile, Dr. Sejal Pawar is banned from campus, and the heat on comedians isn’t cooling down anytime soon.
What This Means for Stand-Up Comedy
This whole ₹370 biryani drama isn’t just about food, yaar. It’s about who controls the mic. Crowdwork is risky — anything can happen when you hand a stranger a microphone. But as the comic, you’re supposed to steer the room. If you don’t push back against sexist comments, people see it as cosigning. Comedians across the country are now rethinking their approach. Clubs are throwing up content disclaimers, banning certain topics during crowdwork, and even self-censoring. Who can blame them? One viral clip and suddenly there’s an FIR and your account is suspended.
This isn’t the first time a comedian has landed in hot water. Earlier this month, an old Madhur Virli clip about sexual assault sparked backlash, and politicians jumped in too. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis warned that comedy should maintain “minimum parameters of dignity.” Mumbai’s Mayor went further, suggesting maybe these shows shouldn’t happen at all. The pressure is real, and the stand-up scene is now having a serious debate about boundaries. Pranit’s story is a warning — all it took was 30 seconds and a laugh. He missed the moment to step in, and now he’s in the middle of a legal storm. But his apology stands out because he didn’t deflect. He admitted he should have done better and says he will. Now he has to earn back trust, one show at a time. The legal process isn’t over, and the wider comedy world keeps arguing about how to push boundaries without crossing lines. One thing’s for sure: silence onstage doesn’t mean you’re neutral — it means you’re complicit.