Kunal Kamra’s jibe at Pranit More apology amid Rs 370 biryani row: ‘Stop hiding behind…’

Now, reacting to More’s second apology, Kamra has posted a sharp message on X. He wrote, “Things comedians should stop hiding behind…
1. Storytelling.
2. Crowd Work.
3. Hard Work
4. Bank Balance.
5. Parents.”

In a separate post, Kamra wrote, “Pranit More makes Harsh Gujral look like Barrack Obama.”

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What sparked the controversy?

The row began after Pranit More uploaded a crowd-work clip from one of his Gurugram performances. During the interaction, audience member Himanshu Jangra narrated a story about a date in which he paid Rs 370 for a plate of chicken biryani.

In the clip, Jangra implied that because he had spent money on the meal, he expected physical intimacy in return. He remarked, “Maine kaha ki Rs 370 lage hain to use to wasool to karunga hi.”

The video quickly drew criticism online. However, the controversy escalated further after a longer version of the interaction surfaced on social media.

The extended clip showed Jangra describing how he continued to pursue physical intimacy despite the woman refusing him initially. The comments triggered fresh outrage, with many social media users accusing both the audience member and the comedian of normalising entitlement and non-consensual behaviour.

Pranit More’s second apology

After initially apologising through an Instagram Story, Pranit More later shared a video statement addressing the controversy and asked for a second chance.

In the video, he said, “I wanted to address this issue for a long time, but I couldn’t because my Instagram account was suspended. You must have seen the crowd-work video for which I have been receiving a lot of hate. And rightly so. I deserve this criticism because during that crowd interaction, I made multiple derogatory remarks. People laughed, and I got carried away. It was a lapse in judgment.”

The comedian admitted that he should have intervened during the interaction instead of encouraging it.

“It was a huge mistake. I could have stopped it from happening or taken a stand, but instead I gave it a platform where it was celebrated,” he added.

Apologising to those offended by the remarks, More said, “To everyone who has been hurt because of my behaviour, I am sorry. I will fully cooperate with all legal proceedings. I just want to request that you give me another chance to work on myself and my content.”

Earlier, he had shared a statement on Instagram Stories saying the audience member’s comments did not reflect his views. “I have seen the criticism regarding a recent crowd-work clip. The comments made by the audience member do not reflect my views. Looking back, I should have challenged the remark instead of laughing and moving on. That was a lapse in judgment on my part. I don’t want to amplify or normalise those views,” he had written.

Fallout: Job loss, police case and NCW summons

The controversy has had consequences beyond social media.

Himanshu Jangra, who was employed at Starvik Design, was terminated after the clip went viral. The company’s founder, Vivek Vishwakarma, announced the decision publicly on Instagram.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police registered a case against both More and Jangra for allegedly promoting obscene content and non-consensual conduct.

The matter has also reached the National Commission for Women (NCW). Days after the clip triggered outrage online, the commission took suo motu cognisance of the incident, directed the Haryana Police to take action, and summoned both More and Jangra to appear for a hearing on June 22.