Pranit More’s recent crowd work comedy interaction has sparked widespread debate and comments on social media. The video involved Himanshu Jhangra, an audience member at the show, making a statement that has sparked controversy online while recounting a recent date that he had been on. He stated that they shared a plate of biryani worth Rs. 370 when the woman asked him to drop her home. He continued, “Maine kaha ki Rs 370 lage hain to use to wasool to karunga hi.”
Himanshu Jhangra also continued his story, where he said he took the woman to a park and was searching for a dark, secluded spot despite her visible discomfort to “recover” the 370 rupees he spent, indicating that he had other intentions.
This comment, in the now-deleted video, shows the audience members and the comedian Pranit More laughing openly, which quickly went viral online, with people from influencers and creators to members of academia calling them out for the crass remark about women. Numerous videos were uploaded condemning the statement and unpacking the layers of what meaning it inconspicuously holds. While this comment is facing the brunt of the internet and social media, it is also exposing the ugly side of Dark or Dank comedy in the name of stand-up comedy.
Transactional Masculinity
This whole coercive narrative, labeled by comedian Pranit More as “peak Gurgaon content,” casually erases women’s autonomy over their bodies and consent with the insinuation of physical intimacy that was made by using the word “vasool”, translated as “return on investment.” According to Himanshu, by paying for the meal, he has invested in a woman, and the return on his investment that he expected was physical intimacy.
Many online have called this ‘Transactional Masculinity’, explained by Julia Hubbard, author of Transactional Masculinity, “Transactional masculinity dresses itself up as kindness, patience, or generosity — but underneath, it’s entitlement, control, and captivity. A safe man doesn’t keep score. He doesn’t bargain with love.”
Moving to consequences, Himanshu Jhangra has been sacked by his company, which has also issued a public statement stating that his comments were “offensive” and did not represent the company’s values. The founder of Starvik Design, Vivek Vishwakarma, where Himanshu worked, also said that an internal review was conducted before coming to the decision, where colleagues, including women employees, described Himanshu as professional, respectful, and hardworking. He mentioned how the comment, although made outside the workplace, has been affecting the work environment in the office. This was hailed by many as the right consequence for Himanshu’s comments.
But another part of Vishwakarma’s statement has also been on fire on the internet, where he argues that while consequences are necessary, there should also be room for reflection and that Himanshu is but a 22-year-old and will carry the consequences he faced for a long time. Critics immediately argued that there is no middle ground between accountability and grace. The statement by Himanshu’s boss about reflection and second chances did not fully comprehend the gravity of the situation.
How women have reacted to the Rs.370 biryani controversy
While the main culprits, including comedian Pranit More and audience member Himanshu Jhangra, are facing online backlash for the controversial statement, the fire has expanded to the company’s founder and Himanshu’s boss, Vivek Vishwakarma, for the same. Women on the internet have been trolling them back with memes, while prominent influencers are also seen taking a stand and speaking out.
Model, influencer and podcaster Sakshi Shivdasani recently shared her strong take against Pranit More and his apology, on her Instagram story where she wrote, “Pranit More saying ‘the views of my audience members don’t reflect what i think’ but sir has clipped it and posted it on Instagram because he found it so f**king funny that a man paying on a date thinks he has bought the right to sleep with a woman.”
“And then the company the guy works for firing him but caveating that we must reflect and change when this creepy GROWN man has no desire to reflect or change and thinks he deserves s*x for paying on a date is proof that there are consequences for men only because women raise their voices and not because men think there’s anything wrong so don’t let anyone gaslight you ever that ‘it’s not a big deal’ and more importantly don’t let anyone gaslight you that it’s not all men,” she further added.
While the comments casually equated a woman’s worth and emotional labour to that of a plate of biryani that costs Rs. 370 in a comment that was supposedly “comedy”, women online took the same comedic route in response.
A digital creator made a video with the caption, “Rs 370 me to hamari sunscreen bhi nahi aati hai, ab in garibon ko kaun samjhae translated as “Who will tell men that women buy sunscreens worth more than Rs 370.”
After being sacked, it is reported that Himanshu Jhangra posted an apology on Instagram that read, “I want to make it clear that I never had any intention to target, insult, defame, or disrespect any gender or group of people. My only intention was to entertain and make people laugh. Unfortunately, in trying to do that, I ended up saying things that were insensitive and inappropriate (sic).”
This apology has also faced backlash online, with users pointing out videos that he posted where he is seen making comments normalizing domestic violence in a way that is “funny”. He posts a picture of himself in front of a belts section in a shop and posts a text that reads, “Mhare poorvaj peet tea aye hain lugai ne, translated as “My ancestors have been beating their wives”, which indicates domestic violence.
Critics argue that the apology was only put out of feeling the heat online and that his mentality has remained the same.
This article is written by Hannah Judith Johnson, a student at Tezpur Central University, interning with Deccan Chronicle.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
