Javed Jaaferi has given his support to stand-up comedian Pranit More, who is currently at the center of a controversy for his comedy act. Responding to the controversy, the actor pointed out that comedians tend to become “soft targets” when public anger flares. Talking about how the sensibility of the audience has changed over time, the actor noted that humor is now being judged by a section of people which is not even half of the population.
Jaaved Jaaferi on comedians who have become ‘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 viewers have the freedom to attend a show or skip it. “He’s an individual, he’s a comedian. People can choose to buy tickets to his show or not. But what happened was that comedians and actors became soft targets. While there are so many big issues around us, people sweep it under the carpet and point to an easy target just because he’s a comedian. They are always the easiest people to follow,” he said.
Jaaved Jaaferi says parents should monitor content, not request restrictions
The actor also weighed in on concerns about inappropriate content, saying the onus should be on parents to monitor what their children watch instead of pushing restrictions. “You control your children. If you don’t want them to watch something, that’s your responsibility. You decide what they are exposed to on social media and on the internet. There are all kinds of content online, even pornography. Can we stop it all? No. People should make their own choices,” he added.
Jaaved Jaaferi says society has become ‘intolerant’
The ‘Dhamaal 4’ actor also observed that society has become more intolerant. He said, “Society has become very intolerant in our country today, and everyone is shocked. This did not happen in the 1990s or even the 2000s. Films have jokes, people make fun of things, and the audience enjoys it. When I dressed up as a sadhu or a mullah in a comic situation in the past, no one was offended. Today, the same thing can be immediately called offensive.“
Jaaved Jaaferi on the backlash over Pranit More’s crowd-work
Jaaferi also addressed the criticism Pranit has faced in his work with people, saying that comedy is often judged without looking at the context in which it is made. He said that people who watched the movie may have laughed at the jokes before, but later became worried, while most of the criticism came from people who were not there but were quick to judge. He said, “Those who oppose are usually outsiders who can be very judgmental. Everything becomes a moral authority, a religious authority. People say, ‘This can’t happen in our religion,’ but there are many religions that don’t have a problem with such things.”
About: Pranit More controversy
The controversy erupted 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, talks about spending Rs 370 on a plate of chicken biryani on a date and says he expects some “return” for that amount, a comment that drew heavy criticism online. Pranit was also criticized for laughing and allowing Jangra to continue with the crowd-work part. Amid the growing backlash, both Pranit More and Himanshu Jangra released a video apologizing for their remarks.
Jaaved Jaaferi’s latest film
On the professional front, Jaaved Jaaferi returns 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.