‘I deserve this hate’: Pranit More admits mistake in handling viral crowd-work segment leading to Rs 370 biryani row

Pranit More (Pictures via Instagram)

Stand-up comedian Pranit More has finally addressed the controversy surrounding the viral "Rs 370 biryani" crowd-work clip from his Gurugram show, issuing a fresh public apology and admitting that he made a serious mistake by not intervening when an audience member made offensive remarks.

Pranit More shares a public apology

In a video shared on social media, More acknowledged the criticism directed at him and said he understood why people were upset. "I wanted to speak about this for a long time, but my Instagram account got suspended," he said at the beginning of the video. Referring to the viral clip, he added, "You all have seen the crowd-work video because of which I have received a lot of hate. And I feel I probably deserve this hate."

The controversy began after a segment from More's show went viral online. During the interaction, audience member Himanshu Jangra made remarks about a date in which he suggested that spending Rs 370 on a meal entitled him to something in return. The comments sparked widespread outrage, with many social media users, public figures, and women's rights advocates calling them misogynistic and offensive. Critics also questioned More's response during the exchange, arguing that he failed to challenge the remarks and instead allowed the conversation to continue.

Addressing the criticism, More admitted that he should have stopped the conversation immediately. "When I was doing crowd work with that guy, he made several derogatory comments and everyone was laughing. I got carried away, and that was my biggest mistake," he said. "I could have stopped him right there, but instead I gave him a platform, and things escalated."

He opened up about the controversy

The comedian apologised to everyone who felt hurt by the incident and said he regretted his actions. "To all those who were affected by this, I sincerely apologise," he stated. More also confirmed that he is cooperating with authorities in connection with the legal proceedings linked to the controversy.

Ending his message on an emotional note, More appealed for understanding and an opportunity to learn from the incident. "Please give me one more chance. I will prove that I can become a better person," he said.

The controversy has since grown beyond social media, triggering debates around consent, accountability in comedy, and the responsibility of performers when dealing with problematic audience interactions.