'#BiryaniIsNotConsent': Mumbai Police's Rs 370 Biryani post on Pranit More-Himanshu Jangra controversy goes viral, netizens say 'FIR kardo'

While his stand-up shows might not have given him much fame, comedian Pranit More has made more headlines and hashtags with his controversy than ever. The Marathi stand-up artist has been embroiled in a scandal that refuses to die down, and rightly so.

In one of his recent live shows, More entertained a 'joke' by a Gurugram man named Himanshu Jangra, who reportedly spoke about taking a woman out and spending Rs 370 on chicken biryani. He then suggested that because he had spent the amount, he expected a 'return' on the money in the form of physical intimacy. “Maine kaha ki Rs 370 lage hain to use to wasool to karunga hi,” he said. The comedian not only engaged with the joke but also went on to award the man Rs 5,000.

Both Jangra and More went on to receive backlash for the comment, with social media users and industry allies attacking them online. Now, it seems the Mumbai Police has also shared its two cents on the incident in the form it is known for best: a social media post.

Mumbai Police is known for using sharp, topical and witty posts to create awareness and its latest take on the ongoing debate about consent has resonated with many. The post featured a clean white creative with a large Rs 370 graphic, where the zero was replaced by a bowl of biryani. The text on the image reads, “Rs 370 gets you one plate of biryani. Our lock-up serves free meals with a longer stay.” The post ended with the hashtag, “#BiryaniIsNotConsent.”

The caption of the post read "It's your choice," making the message clear, without directly naming anyone.



Numerous social media users supported the post with serious and witty comments.

"FIR bi kardo Praneet par achha hoga" wrote one.

"Hands down for the social media handlers of Mumbai Police" added another.

"From day one I never liked standup comedy where talks are without social boundaries. Because no one knows how far they can go. That's why such things were seen as taboo in the past. But in the name of freedom, people said otherwise. This is why we should maintain dignified social norms in conduct and speech," one wrote.

"I understand this is content now but can we please take some action???" asked another.

"I hope your action speaks louder than your memes!" a user said.

Along with the Mumbai Police, numerous other people have come out on social media to point out the distaste in the entire incident. “ ₹370 ki biryani ne do cheezein expose kar di: Ek aadmi ko laga consent ka MRP hota hai. Aur ek comedian ko laga har uncomfortable silence ko laughter track se bachaya ja sakta hai. Biryani toh dum pe bani thi, controversy ego pe (The ₹370 biryani exposed two things: one man believed consent had a price tag, and another comedian believed every uncomfortable silence could be saved with a laughter track.),” wrote YouTuber Elvish Yadav.

“Uploading a clip like that is a choice. Choosing to crack certain jokes and posting them on your channel is a choice. This, btw, is not comedy. This is content designed to get a reaction. I am so glad that so many women are calling it out,” wrote Kusha Kapila.

On his part, More issued an apology on social media. He said that the comments made by the audience member did not reflect his views and added, “Looking back, I should have challenged the remark instead of laughing and moving on. That was a lapse in judgment on my part.” Moreover, he went on to deactivate his Instagram account, where he had previously shared the video to promote it.