Viral: Indian Women Roast Misogynist 'Rs 370 Ki Biryani' Video With Dark Comedy

"Humne chicken biryani khayi. Wo ayi hogi Rs 360 - Rs 370 ki. Fir wo kehti hai ki ghar chor aao. Maine kaha ki Rs 370 lage hain to use to wasool to karunga hi [We ate chicken biryani. It must have been priced at Rs 360 or Rs 370. Then, she asked me to drop her off at home. I thought, I invested Rs 370, I need a return]"

Himanshu Jangra said this while narrating what appeared to be an abusive date during comedian Parnit More's show. He further shared how he tried to have his way with the woman throughout the night just because he paid Rs 370 for a biryani that they both shared.

The video went viral on Instagram a few days ago, revealing what men like Himanshu Jangra think of women and how they treat them. Not to mention the backlash that the comedian has been facing because he was laughing throughout this predatory narration of a night where the woman probably didn't realise what kind of man she trusted to share a meal with.

As men in the crowd laughed and brushed off Himanshu's misogynist remarks as comedy, women on Instagram took it upon themselves to respond with dark comedy. 

Women Unite Against Rs 370 Ki Biryani

After the Himanshu-Pranit video started circulating on the Internet, it made people realise how gender-based abuse is normalised in society. While social commentators and people in academia posted long videos slamming both men, female content creators took another route.

Men in the viral video thought they could brush misogynistic behaviour, offensive remarks, and abusive acts under the comic rug, but women turned the narrative around to unveil the dark realities that everyone must note.

"One clown spent Rs 370 on a woman's meal then expected her body in return, presented it as a joke, and a room full of clowns laughed and somehow women are the gold diggers," wrote a creator while enjoying a plate of biryani all to herself.

Another captioned a reel, "Imagine being a woman trying to survive in a world full of men with this mentality, who think a woman's value is just Rs 370 worth of biryani."

A fourth user advised women to never let a man pay for their meal on dates just so he can think that their consent can be bought for Rs 370. "In fact, tip him with Rs 3,700 more for a crash course on consent and basic manners," she added.

A happy woman posted a video of herself enjoying a meal. She wrote, "Me eating my Rs 3,700 ka khana alone because having Rs 370 wali biryani with a guy is scary [I am eating a meal worth Rs 3,700 alone because a Rs 370 biryani with a man is scarier]."

A woman pointed out that we aspire and often purchase lipstick worth Rs 3,700 and men like Himanshu measure integrity with a Rs 370 streetside biryani.

Another woman pointed out, while driving, that men think paying Rs 370 for a biryani is a big deal, while women buy pads worth more than that in a month. For instant validation, search for good quality pads on quick commerce, and you will realise how true it is.

An Instagram user shared a screenshot from Nykaa to point out that even a lip gloss costs more than Rs 370. So is the case with lip balm.

A user shared a video of her freshly manicured hands and wrote that a woman cannot get her nails done for Rs 370. 

One digital creator posed with her luxury bags and wrote, "Rs 370 me to hamari sunscreen bhi nahi aati hai, ab in garibon ko kaun samjhae [Who will tell men that women buy sunscreens worth more than Rs 370]."

A girl posted a reel with a caption, "Keep barking, 'Not All Men.'" And the frame shifts to the viral Himanshu-Pranit clip equating a woman's respect and dignity to a Rs 370 plate of biryani. "This is exactly why conversations about consent still matter. A date is not a transaction," the caption read.

Who Is Himanshu Jangra

Himanshu Jangra, while he does not deserve any limelight, should get some attention right now so that he thinks 100 times before degrading a woman's dignity to a plate of biryani again.

After the video went viral, he took to Instagram to issue an apology, and later, deactivated his account. The post read, "I want to make it clear that I never had any intention to target, insult, defame, or disrespect any gender or group of people. My only intention was to entertain and make people laugh. Unfortunately, in trying to do that, I ended up saying things that were insensitive and inappropriate (sic)."

"To everyone who was hurt or offended by my words, I am truly sorry. I will learn from this experience and be far more mindful of my words and content going forward (sic)," he concluded the post.

Many people would think that he was sincerely apologising. Hence, he should get the benefit of the doubt, but wait until you see what he used to post on social media before his clip from Pranit More's crowdwork went viral.

"Mhare poorvaj peet te aaye hain lugai ne," Himanshu Jangra wrote, joking about domestic violence on Instagram. Photo: Sakshi/ Instagram

A woman shared a screenshot of a picture in which he is trying out belts. The text reads, "Mhare poorvaj peet te aaye hain lugai ne [My ancestors have been beating their wives]." By sharing this "ancestral ritual" with pride, he not only revealed the kind of man he is but also confessed to how women in his family have been abused and assaulted, one generation after another.

Himanshu might have thought joking about domestic violence was funny, but it is a grim reality for many women in society. According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) report from 2019-2021, 55,475 married men justified hitting their wives on the grounds of suspected unfaithfulness, neglecting the house, improperly cooked food, disrespecting in-laws, refusing intercourse, among other reasons. 

A social media user shared a reel reflecting on the viral clip. He wrote, "Ek bande ne Rs 370 biyani wale statement se pure mard samaj ka naam kharab kar dia [One man's comment regarding Rs 370 biryani is a reflection on all men]."

Pranit More Issues An Apology

After the backlash, comedian Pranit More also issued an apology. Sharing a long note on his Instagram stories, he wrote, "I've seen the criticism regarding a recent crowdwork clip. The comments made by the audience members do not reflect my views. Looking back, I should have challenged the remark instead of laughing and moving on. That was a lapse in judgement on my part."

He further added, "We've also removed the video from all our platforms, as I don't want to amplify or normalise those views."

Pranit More's apology after the crowdwork clip went viral on social media. Photo: Pranit More/ Instagram

The comedian accepted that he could have handled the situation better and been more mindful. Before the clip was taken down, it was already everywhere on social media, and one cannot ignore the fact that most men in that room laughed when Himanshu said, "Maine kaha ki Rs 370 lage hain to use wasool to karunga hi."

We have completed a quarter of the 21st century, and what men find funny is still baffling. They think that they can buy a woman's consent by paying Rs 370 for biryani. A large section of them already justify violence against their spouses, and the remaining ones laugh at jokes around gender-based abuse. Instead of moving forward, it seems like we are devolving.

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