Mumbai Police has joined the online conversation about the virus.” $‘370 Biryani’ controversy, drawing criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, who accused the force of making fun of a serious issue.
In a post shared on X on Wednesday, Mumbai Police wrote: “It’s your choice” in English and Marathi. The letter was accompanied by a drawing that read: “ $370 Biryani You get one plate of biryani. Our prison offers free meals with longer stays.
The post quickly gained attention online, garnering over 2,77,000 views and sparking a new controversy over the controversy.
Priyanka Chaturvedi criticizes the police station
In response to the post, Chaturvedi reshared it on X and questioned the police’s decision to use the controversy in a social media message.
“Do better Mumbai Police, this is absolutely disgraceful,” she wrote.
Her comments came amid continuing outrage over comments she made during a comedy show by comedian Praneet More, with social media users describing the episode as misogynistic and disturbing.
How did the controversy start?
The controversy stems from an audience reaction segment during comedian Moore’s show, in which 23-year-old Himanshu Jangra recounted an encounter with a woman he had taken on a date.
Jangra said he paid $370 for a chicken biryani and hence expect a ‘return’ on this cost. Recalling the incident, More said: “Main kaha Rs 370 lag hain, main arrival toh karunga (I spent $370, so I have to get something back).”
He went on to describe how he wanted the woman to accompany him to his room, and later insisted that she go with him to a dark garden despite her repeated reluctance. According to his account, the woman eventually agreed to go to the park, where he said he would wait for darkness.
While Jangra continued his narration, Praneet More remained on stage, laughing and applauding him, and offering him the show’s prize money.
The statements sparked widespread condemnation online, with many users accusing Jangra of promoting coercive and entitlement behaviour.
Apologies from Himanshu and Praneet
As criticism mounted, Jangra apologized and then deleted his social media accounts.
More also issued a public apology, saying: “I saw criticism regarding a fan clip recently. The comments made by an audience member do not reflect my views.”
“Looking back, I should have challenged that remark rather than laughed and moved on. It was an error in judgment on my part.”
The comedian added: “I appreciate everyone who has respectfully raised their concerns. I sincerely apologize for what happened, and I will continue with this lesson. I am human, and like everyone else, I am constantly learning.”
The controversy continued to escalate in the days that followed, with many social media influencers and content creators criticizing Moore for not intervening when making comments.
Amid the backlash, Moore deactivated his Instagram account, which had about 3.8 million followers.
