Supreme Court issues notice on Pranit More's plea regarding biryani controversy FIRs

The Supreme Court of India has issued notices to the Union Government and the states of Maharashtra and Haryana regarding a plea by comedian Pranit More. More is seeking to club multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against him following the ‘Rs 370 biryani’ controversy.

The controversy originated from a stand-up comedy show in Gurugram, where an audience member, Himanshu Jangra, made a misogynistic remark suggesting he expected sexual intimacy in exchange for spending Rs 370 on a meal. More faced intense backlash for laughing at the comment, which critics argued trivialized sexual consent. While Jangra was subsequently fired from his job, legal action was taken against More, including an FIR by the Maharashtra Cyber Police involving charges of sexual harassment, obscene content, and public mischief.

Counsel for More informed the court that the comedian has issued public apologies across various forums, including the National Commission for Women, and has deleted the video in question. The defense argued that the FIRs are identical in their allegations and requested they be consolidated. Additionally, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking a regulatory framework for digital content creators, including stand-up comedians and podcasters.