Himanshu Jangra, a 23-year-old web developer from Gurugram, has been terminated from job at Starvik Design. The dismissal came after video clip from a stand-up comedy show spread rapidly across social media. The footage showed Jangra describing a date in terms that prompted widespread condemnation for promoting entitlement and disregarding a woman’s consent.
Vivek Vishwakarma, the founder of Starvik Design, issued a video statement on Instagram confirming the termination. He said the company had received hundreds of emails, calls, and messages after the clip went viral.
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“Let me be very clear, the statements shown in those clips are offensive. They are not something I agree with. They are not something our company stands for, and they certainly should not be influencing young minds,” he stated.
What Himanshu Jangra said
The controversy began during a crowd-work segment at comedian Pranit More’s stand-up performance, where Jangra recounted a date. He spoke about spending Rs 370 on a plate of chicken biryani and made clear that he believed the expenditure entitled him to something in return. He said, “Maine kaha 370 rupay lage hain, main wasool toh karunga.”
That line alone drew immediate criticism. What followed made it worse.
Jangra went on to describe pressuring the woman to accompany him to a “dark” park despite her repeated reluctance.
The woman in this story is unnamed. She has no voice in the viral clip. Her repeated hesitation was treated as an obstacle to be overcome, not a boundary to be respected. That framing is what the internet refused to let pass.
The room that laughed
The clip did not just capture what Jangra said. It also captured the room’s response.
Comedian Pranit More also faced backlash for his reaction in the clip, where he laughed at the anecdote and labelled it “peak Gurgaon content.” Following surge in criticism, More later apologised for the incident and removed clip from his social media platforms.
The “peak Gurgaon content” is very telling. It positions coercion as a personality quirk tied to geography. It normalises the behaviour rather than naming what it is. An audience full of people laughed. The comedian played along. That context matters.
Critics online were quick to point out that a copy-paste apology after the fact does not undo the moment. The laughter was real. The applause was real. The woman who said no, repeatedly, was also real.
The internal review
Vishwakarma said the company conducted an internal review, which included speaking with colleagues, including women who had worked alongside Jangra. According to the company, there were no prior complaints against him, and coworkers described him as “professional, respectful, hardworking, and well-behaved at work.” Despite his clean professional record, the firm concluded that the external controversy had significantly impacted the workplace environment. “What happened outside the workplace has now affected the workplace, and I have a responsibility towards the company, our team, our clients, and the environment we create here,” Vishwakarma added.
The company’s caution
Vishwakarma’s statement did not stop at confirming the dismissal. He used the moment to ask for measured public response.
He cautioned against excessive online harassment of a young person. “A person can be wrong. A person can make a terrible mistake. And, a person should face consequences. But I hope we never become a society that believes people cannot learn, reflect, apologise, or change,” he said. He further emphasised the long-term impact such moments can have on a 23-year-old’s future, expressing a hope that Jangra would use this experience as an opportunity for personal growth and reflection.
Jangra’s response
Following the incident, reports indicated that Jangra had apologised for his remarks and deactivated his social media accounts.
No details of the apology’s content have been made public.