Gurugram Police registered an FIR against comedian Pranit More and audience member Himanshu Jangra over remarks made during a live show involving a Rs 370 chicken biryani comment. The action followed an NCW complaint alleging concerns over consent and coercive behaviour.
Gurugram Police have registered an FIR against stand-up comedian Pranit More and audience member Himanshu Jangra over Rs 370 chicken biryani remarks made during a live show that later went viral on social media. The FIR was filed following a complaint submitted by the National Commission for Women (NCW), which took notice of the viral video and demanded action against those involved. The Commission stated that the comments made during the performance appeared to promote coercive behaviour and weaken the importance of consent.
A stand-up comedy performance that sparked a major public debate over consent, misogyny, and the boundaries of humour has now led to fresh legal action.
The police have invoked Section 67 of the Information Technology Act along with Sections 294, 353(3), 75(2), and 75(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case relates to an interaction between More and an audience member during a comedy show held in Gurugram.
During the exchange, Jangra, a technology professional attending the event, narrated an incident involving a woman he had gone on a date with. As part of the conversation, he claimed that after spending Rs 370 on chicken biryani, he expected sexual favours from the woman when she requested him to drop her home.
The clip of the conversation quickly spread across social media platforms, leading to widespread criticism. Many users accused Jangra of promoting a mindset that normalises sexual pressure and disrespect towards women. The criticism also extended towards More, with several people questioning his response during the interaction.
Critics alleged that the comedian encouraged the controversial exchange by laughing during the conversation and later posting the clip online. The incident triggered a larger discussion on the responsibilities of comedians during crowd-work performances and whether certain statements can be justified under the label of entertainment.
As public anger increased, the National Commission for Women intervened and sought action from authorities. The Commission summoned those connected with the incident and stated that the remarks seen in the viral clip were offensive and against the principles of dignity and consent.
Following the NCW’s intervention, Gurugram Police registered the FIR against More and Jangra. The development comes after the Maharashtra Cyber Cell had already filed a separate FIR against More, Jangra, and others in connection with the same controversy.
The issue continued to gain attention, with social media users, activists, and women’s rights organisations demanding accountability. Several groups held protests against More, arguing that remarks that trivialise consent should not be defended as comedy.
Amid the controversy, both More and Jangra issued public apologies. In a video statement, More admitted that he should have stepped in during the interaction instead of allowing it to continue. The comedian said he had been “carried away” by the audience reaction and accepted that his handling of the situation was a “lapse in judgment“.
More also apologised to those hurt by the incident and acknowledged that he should have responded differently during the performance.
Jangra also issued an apology after facing heavy criticism online. However, the controversy reportedly affected him beyond social media backlash, with reports claiming that he lost his job after the video gained widespread attention.