NEW DELHI: Stand-up comedy is meant to provoke, challenge and make people laugh. But two recent controversies have raised uncomfortable questions about where humour ends and harm begins.In one viral clip, an audience member at comedian Pranit More’s show says spending Rs 370 on biryani entitled him to sexual intimacy, before describing in graphic detail his advances towards an unwilling woman.In another clip from an earlier performance by comedian Madhur Virli, jokes revolve around “cuddling after rape”, necrophilia and rapist-murderers.Both performances were met with loud laughter from predominantly male audiences, sparking debate over misogyny, consent and whether comedy is normalising rape culture and trivialising sexual violence.British actor Peter Ustinov, a two-time Academy Award winner, once described comedy as “a funny way of being serious”.But critics say some sections of India’s growing stand-up scene have moved away from satire and towards shock value.“Whatever little progress activists make, these videos and crass jokes drag us back to square one. When something as serious as sexual coercion is normalised for laughs and viewed by millions, it sends the wrong message,” anti-rape activist Yogita Bhayana told PTI.“I’m not asking for arrests, but there has to be accountability for what’s being said and uploaded. Also, not to forget the audiences laughter these jokes receive. They say far more about society than we would like to admit,” she said.The controversy comes months after another uproar over podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia’s lewd remark about parents and sex on comedian Samay Raina’s show.It has now reignited discussions around crowd work — a style of stand-up where performers abandon prepared material and interact spontaneously with audience members.The viral biryani jokeIn More’s viral crowd-work clip, what begins as casual interaction takes a disturbing turn when 23-year-old Himanshu Jangra starts narrating a story.“Maine kaha Rs 370 lage hain, main vasool toh karunga,” he said.More responded by calling it “peak Gurgaon content” and awarded him Rs 5,000 cash prize for the best narrated story, as the audience cheered.Jangra then continued with increasingly graphic details about a date where the woman repeatedly said “no”, but he ignored her.The exchange was later edited, subtitled and uploaded by More for his two million subscribers.While More obtained Jangra’s consent before publishing the clip, critics questioned the absence of any consideration for the woman whose alleged experience was being discussed.Jangra was later fired from his job at Gurugram-based Starvik Design over his “inappropriate comments”.Both Jangra and More are facing an FIR filed by Maharashtra Cyber Police. The National Commission for Women has also taken suo motu cognisance and issued summons.Old clips Soon after, another controversy emerged when older clips from More’s “Ladies Special” show resurfaced.The videos showed medical student Sejal Pawar from Mumbai’s KEM College making jokes about the genitalia of male cadavers.Some social media users demanded action against her as well.The college has since started an internal inquiry and placed Pawar on 15 days’ compulsory leave.“I have no issue with Sejal being held accountable if she’s said something wrong. But the ‘she too said it’ argument is classic whataboutery and a way of dragging gender into it. This absolves no one.“Data also shows who has historically made such jokes and at whose expense. Often, the outrage is more about hurt male ego than anything else,” Bhayana explained.Apologies and questionsAfter the backlash, both More and Jangra apologised.More said he “deserved this hate” and admitted he should have intervened but did not.He said everyone was laughing and he got “carried away”, calling it a “lapse in judgement”.Jangra said he regretted attending the show and claimed parts of his dating story were “improvised” for entertainment.Virli also apologised after clips from his show two years ago resurfaced.“The clip being circulated is from a performance I did around two years ago… I do believe comedy can question ideas and engage with difficult subjects. But certain topics require sensitivity, context and informed discretion. When an attempt falls short, the only honest thing to do is acknowledge it, apologise and do better. This is one of those moments for me,” the Delhi-based comedian wrote.Is crowd work losing its way?The controversy has triggered a broader debate about the changing nature of live comedy — where audience reactions can validate controversial material and clips can instantly reach millions online.Several comedians have distanced themselves from the issue, while others questioned crowd work itself.Comedian Kunal Kamra said on X:“Things comedians should stop hiding behind 1. Storytelling. 2. Crowd Work. 3. Hard Work. 4. Bank Balance. 5. Parents.”Stand-up comedian Devesh Dixit criticised how crowd work is being used today, saying the pressure to constantly upload content has turned performers into creators chasing virality rather than focusing on craft.He also questioned the practice of handing microphones directly to audience members, saying it can easily spiral out of control.Comedian Aditi Mittal said she was not convinced by the apologies.“This is how these environments operate, and this is how people speak. Whether the cameras are on or off, I can guarantee there are hundreds of similar videos circulating online. The only difference is that this particular one caught the public’s attention, and people are now outraged by it,” she said in an Instagram video.She added, “The men involved disappear from the internet for a few days, weeks, or months. Eventually, they return, often appearing on major reality shows that everyone watches. Soon enough, they’re collaborating with major streaming platforms and brands. “These men are forgiven and forgotten far more quickly for what they said than women are for pointing out that it was wrong,” Mittal said.With 63 million views, Samay Raina’s comeback show “Still Alive” remains among the world’s most-watched stand-up comedy specials.Both Raina and Allahbadia were also featured in the latest season of “The Great Indian Kapil Show”.The debate now goes beyond two comedians or two clips — it asks whether comedy can push boundaries without normalising harm.
