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Stand-up comedian Pranit More has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding the viral videos featuring obscene remarks. In an emotional video shared on Instagram on Saturday, he issued an apology and appealed to the public for a second chance.
Addressing his followers through a self-made video clip, More acknowledged the criticism directed at him and admitted that he made a mistake during the interaction that sparked the backlash. "Hello, so I wanted to talk about this for a long time but my Instagram got suspended. You all must have seen my crowd work video for which I am getting a lot of hate and I think I deserve this hate because when I was doing crowd work with that guy he said a lot of derogatory things, but everyone was laughing at him so I got carried away," he said. "I got a lapse in judgement and I think it was a big mistake of mine," More said. The comedian further said that he could have intervened during the interaction, but failed to do so. "If I wanted, I could have stopped him there, or I could have taken a stand, but what I couldn't do. I gave him a platform because of which these things escalated. So those who have been hurt because of this, I want to apologise to all of them," he added. More also confirmed that he is cooperating with authorities in connection with the ongoing legal proceedings. "Whatever legal proceedings are being held against me, for that I am cooperating with the authorities, but I just want to request all of you... Please give me a chance, I will become a better person. This was a learning for me, so I am working on myself. I will also work on my content, and you will be able to see this in my future work," he said. https://www.instagram.com/p/DZg3gbLRE-y/ The controversy intensified after Maharashtra Cyber registered an FIR against Pranit More, Himanshu Jangra, Dr Sejal Pawar and others, allegedly involved in the publication and dissemination of obscene and objectionable content from a stand-up comedy show held in Gurugram and circulated online through social media platforms. According to Maharashtra Cyber, the case pertains to videos and clips shared on platforms including YouTube and Instagram that allegedly contained offensive remarks concerning women, consent and deceased persons. Authorities stated that one clip allegedly featured comments by Dr Sejal Pawar regarding deceased male bodies and medical cadavers, while another allegedly contained remarks by Himanshu Jangra that portrayed women in a derogatory manner and trivialised issues related to consent and dignity. The FIR has been registered at the Nodal Cyber Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Amid the controversy, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde called for a ban on stand-up comedy shows and said she would write to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the matter. "A stand-up comedy show by Pranit More was organised here. Sejal Pawar, a student from our KEM Hospital, was present in the show... As the Mayor, I oppose this; it does not befit our Indian culture.... Stand-up comedy shows should be banned. I will write a letter to the Chief Minister," Tawde told ANI. Responding to the broader debate around artistic expression, Fadnavis said that while stand-up comedy should remain unrestricted, freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly. "The Constitution of India grants everyone the freedom of expression. However, it also establishes safeguards to ensure this freedom is not misused. When expression becomes unrestrained, it infringes upon the right of individuals in society to live with dignity," he said. (ANI)
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