A viral video from a stand-up comedy show at Gurugram’s Cyber City has landed comedian and former Bigg Boss 19 contestant Pranit More in legal trouble, with Gurugram Police registering an FIR against him, web developer Himanshu Jangra and the owner of The Laugh Store, where the incident took place. The FIR was registered at the DLF Phase-2 police station after a video from More’s show went viral on social media. The clip showed Jangra, a 22-year-old web developer from Gurugram, narrating a dating experience during a crowd-work segment. Jangra claimed that he had bought a woman a chicken biryani worth Rs 370 and later expected physical intimacy in return when she asked to be dropped home. He also said he took her to a secluded park to recover the money he had spent. Police described the remarks as highly objectionable and suspicious in nature.
The case was registered following a complaint by the National Commission for Women and police suo motu action under Section 67 of the IT Act and Sections 294, 353(3), 75(2) and 75(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Gurugram Police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar said notices had been issued to Jangra and More to join the investigation. Legal notices have also been sent to social media platforms seeking removal of the video.
As criticism grew online on platforms including Instagram and X, More’s employer Starvik Design terminated his employment. The company’s founder, Vivek Vishwakarma, said in a video statement that the remarks in the viral clips were objectionable and that the company did not support such views or want them to influence young people. More later issued a public apology through an Instagram story, acknowledging the criticism and accepting that he should have intervened when the remarks were made. He said the audience member’s comments did not represent his own views, that he had removed the video and that he would respond to such situations with greater responsibility and sensitivity in future. Meanwhile, Jangra released a clarification video, saying that while the woman he referred to was a real date, the story narrated during the show had been exaggerated for entertainment. He admitted that some words used were inappropriate and apologised, adding that he had always maintained professional relationships with women colleagues.
