
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the comment that was made during Pranit More s stand-up comedy show in Gurugram, Haryana, by Himanshu Jangra. The Mumbai
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the comment that was made during Pranit More’s stand-up comedy show in Gurugram, Haryana, by Himanshu Jangra. The Mumbai Cyber Police has also registered a case against Pranit, Himanshu and Sejal Pawar over the ₹375 biryani joke that landed them in trouble.
The NCW took cognisance of widely reported media coverage of the viral video where remarks allegedly glorified sexual coercion and non-consensual conduct. The commission has scheduled a hearing in the case on June 22 at 4 PM. In a press note, the women’s council expressed serious concern about the jokes being made, which trivialised the conduct and presented it as entertainment.
The commission observed that normalisation or glorification of such behaviour that undermines a woman’s consent, dignity, and bodily autonomy has far-reaching consequences for women’s safety and social attitudes towards gender-based violence. NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar also wrote to the Director General of Police, Haryana, seeking immediate, stringent, and time-bound action. The Commission has called for a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within seven days.
The commission has sought details regarding an FIR against Pranit and Himanshu under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other applicable laws. They have also asked that the role of the organisers, performers, and venue management be looked into.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cyber Police has registered a case against Pranit, Himanshu and Sejal for ‘allegedly disseminating "obscene and objectionable" content on social media’. They have been summoned for an official inquiry. The case was registered at the Nodal Cyber Police Station following a preliminary probe into viral video clips from the show hosted by Pranit, said a cyber police official.
The videos contained ‘offensive remarks concerning women, consent, and deceased persons that violate public decency’. “One of the viral clips featured remarks by Himanshu Jangra suggesting an entitlement to physical intimacy in exchange for money spent during a date, which portrayed women in a derogatory manner and trivialised consent,” said the police official, adding, “Another clip from the same show featured Dr Sejal Pawar making derogatory comments regarding medical cadavers and deceased male bodies used for educational purposes, which authorities flagged as highly disrespectful to the dignity of the deceased.”
The case was registered against them under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with the Information Technology Act, he said. An advisory has also been issued, urging content creators to comply with legal frameworks while producing content.
Pranit, Himanshu, and Sejal issued apologies after their videos went viral and drew massive backlash.
Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More