The comedian who called a coercion joke “Peak Gurgaon content,” edited it, uploaded it for engagement, and apologised only after the internet forced his hand has now deactivated his account.
Image Source: X
Stand-up comedian Pranit More has deactivated his Instagram account (@rj_pranit), amid sustained backlash over his handling of a crowd-work segment that went viral for the wrong reasons. The move comes days after the Rs 370 biryani controversy put More squarely in the crosshairs of a national debate about consent, misogyny, and the responsibility of public entertainers.
The controversy originated from a stand-up crowd-work video in which an audience member, Himanshu Jangra, recounted spending Rs 370 on chicken biryani during a date and stated that he expected physical intimacy in return after the woman asked to be driven home.
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More laughed at the anecdote and characterised it as a “Peak Gurgaon moment.” He did not challenge Jangra’s remarks on stage. He also edited, subtitled, uploaded the clip to his own social media channels. The clip then spread rapidly across Instagram, X, YouTube.
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The clip spread online as viewers criticised it for implying that the cost of a meal entitled the man to physical intimacy, sparking broader discussions about dating norms, consent, and gender dynamics.
Criticism of More was pointed. It centred on a distinct editorial choice: More not only failed to shut down the problematic behaviour in the room, but he also took the time to edit, subtitle, and upload the clip to farm engagement.
Jangra was not the only one held accountable. Influencers, women creators, and commentators directed significant heat at More for amplifying the clip rather than addressing its content.
On June 2, More issued public apology amid growing backlash. He shared the apology through his Instagram Stories.
More stated that he had severe lapse in judgement and should have challenged the audience member’s remarks instead of laughing at them. He clarified that he does not endorse those views and subsequently deleted the crowd-work clip from his profiles.
More added that he removed the video from all platforms as he did not want to amplify or normalise those views. The apology itself drew mixed reactions. Many felt it came too late and only after the backlash became too large to ignore.
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… pic.twitter.com/17Ph8pXZTY
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) June 10, 2026
Himanshu Jangra, a 23-year-old web developer from Gurugram, was terminated from his job at Starvik Design. The dismissal came after the video clip spread rapidly across social media.
Starvik Design founder Vivek Vishwakarma said: “The statements shown in those clips are offensive. They are not something I agree with. They are not something our company stands for.”
Following the backlash, Jangra apologised and deactivated his social media accounts.
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