Jaaved Jaaferi backed comedian Pranit More amid backlash over a crowd-work joke about a Rs 370 biryani date, calling comedians “soft targets.” He said society has grown intolerant and parents should monitor children’s content instead of demanding bans. Jaaferi recently reprised his role as Manav in ‘Dhamaal 4’.
Jaaved Jaaferi has extended his support to stand-up comedian Pranit More, who is currently at the centre of a controversy over his comedy act. Addressing the controversy, the actor pointed out that comedians tend to become “soft targets” whenever public outrage flares up. Speaking on how audience sensitivities have shifted over time, the actor noted that humour is now being judged by a section of people who don’t even make up half the population.
Jaaved Jaaferi on comedians becoming ‘soft targets’
In a conversation with India Today, Jaaved stood by Pranit’s right to perform, stressing that comedy ultimately comes down to personal choice and that audiences have the freedom to attend a show or skip it. “He’s an individual. He’s a comedian. People can choose to buy a ticket to his show or not. But what happens is that comedians and actors become soft targets. While there are so many larger issues around us, people sweep those under the carpet and focus on an easy target simply because he’s a comedian. They’re always the easiest people to go after,” he said.
Jaaved Jaaferi says parents should monitor content, not demand bans
The actor also weighed in on concerns around objectionable content, saying that the onus should be on parents to monitor what their children watch rather than pushing for blanket bans. “You control your children. If you don’t want them to watch something, that’s your responsibility. You decide what they’re exposed to on social media and the internet. There are all kinds of content online, even pornography. Can we stop all of it? No. People have to make their own choices,” he added.
Jaaved Jaaferi says society has grown ‘intolerant’
The ‘Dhamaal 4’ actor also observed that society has grown far more intolerant. He noted, “Society has become extremely intolerant in our country now, and everything is being sensationalised. This wasn’t happening in the 1990s or even the 2000s. Films had jokes, people made fun of things, and audiences enjoyed them. If I dressed up as a sadhu or a mullah in a comic situation back then, nobody felt offended. Today, the same thing would immediately be labelled offensive.”
Jaaved Jaaferi on the backlash over Pranit More’s crowd-work segment
Jaaferi also spoke about the criticism Pranit faced over his crowd-work segment, saying comedy is often judged without looking at the context it was performed in. He said people who watched the show may have laughed at the jokes then, but felt uneasy about it only later, while most of the criticism came from people who weren’t even there but were quick to judge. He stated, “Those objecting are often outsiders who become very judgemental. Everybody becomes a moral authority, a religious authority. People say, ‘This doesn’t happen in our religion,’ but there are many religions that don’t have a problem with such things.”
About the Pranit More controversy
The row broke out after a clip from Pranit More’s stand-up show in Gurugram went viral on social media. In the video, a 23-year-old audience member, Himanshu Jangra, spoke about spending Rs 370 on a plate of chicken biryani during a date and said he expected some “return” for that amount, a remark that drew sharp criticism online. Pranit also came under fire for laughing along and letting Jangra continue during the crowd-work segment. Amid the growing backlash, both Pranit More and Himanshu Jangra released video apologies for their remarks.
Jaaved Jaaferi’s recent film
On the professional front, Jaaved Jaaferi made a comeback as his beloved character Manav in ‘Dhamaal 4’, part of an ensemble cast that includes Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh and Anjali Ananda, with the film currently enjoying a theatrical run. Go to Source
