The ₹370 biryani controversy has now reached an unlikely corner of the internet. Popular storyteller and spiritual preacher Aniruddhacharya has weighed in on the viral row involving comedian Pranit More and audience member Himanshu Jangra, and it's safe to say he isn't impressed.
Speaking about the controversy, Aniruddhacharya expressed concern over what he believes is being passed off as comedy these days. Without taking names initially, he referred to the viral clip in which a young man joked about "recovering" the ₹370 he had spent on a biryani date. And that's where his criticism began.
"Comedy ke naam par galat-galat baatein aajkal chal rahin hain (These days, all sorts of wrong things are happening in the name of comedy)," he said. "A young man openly says that he spent ₹370 on biryani and now wants to recover that money. If this is the kind of comedy being served to society, what impact will it have on young people?"
According to him, the bigger issue isn't the amount of money being discussed. It's the mindset behind the joke. He argued that repeated exposure to such content could make some young viewers think that spending money on a woman somehow entitles a man to something in return.
"Young people may start believing that if they spend money on a girl, they should get something back from her. Is that really the lesson we want to give society?" he asked.
The preacher went on to say that this kind of humour reflects a mentality he strongly disagrees with. "I want to ask whether such thinking is good for our country and society. The answer is no," he said. "The sad thing is that nobody seems to stop this kind of vulgarity that is being promoted as comedy."
But Aniruddhacharya didn't stop there. He also took a swipe at sections of the media, arguing that spiritual leaders are often questioned when they speak about values, relationships or social behaviour, while controversial jokes made by comedians don't always attract the same level of criticism.
"When saints talk about discipline, values or social issues, we're the ones who get questioned," he said. "But when people openly make such remarks, nobody seems to have a problem. Even after facing criticism, we continue speaking about what we believe is right for society."
For those who haven't been following the story, the controversy began after a clip from comedian Pranit More's crowd-work show went viral online. In the video, audience member Himanshu Jangra spoke about taking a woman out on a date and spending ₹370 on biryani. During the interaction, comments were made about "recovering" that money, which many social media users found offensive and misogynistic.
The clip quickly spread across platforms, triggering widespread criticism and heated debates online. The backlash eventually grew so large that Maharashtra Cyber Police registered an FIR in connection with the matter. Both Pranit More and Himanshu Jangra have since issued public apologies.
Even so, the debate refuses to die down. Some people believe the joke crossed a line, while others argue that crowd-work comedy is being judged too harshly. Now, with Aniruddhacharya joining the conversation, the controversy has moved far beyond a comedy club and become yet another social media talking point that everyone seems to have an opinion on.
