“Inhe nanga kar ke maaro.” That’s not the dialogue of a villain from a C-grade Bollywood film. It’s actually comedian Sunil Pal’s statement on female comedians in India. Yes, the same comedian who once won hearts with his clean humour and is now trying to stay relevant by openly advocating violence against women comedians. But let’s get this straight, his target isn’t their jokes, not their sets, not even their “gaalis.” His target is simply the fact that women have found a mic, an audience, and the audacity to speak.

 

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It’s not about the words

Male comedians in India have built entire careers on cuss words, dirty jokes, and ridiculing women (which is fine in this land of goddesses). No one asked for them to be beaten in public. But when women use the same words, suddenly, it becomes a matter of morality. Why? Because it was never about the words, it was always about who was saying them.

What Sunil Pal’s statement on female comedians really reveals is fear. A woman with a microphone is dangerous not because of what she says, but because she refuses to stay quiet. The stage gives her authority, an audience, and power. That’s what Sunil Pal and others like him can’t stomach. His violent imagery of stripping women and teaching them a lesson isn’t about morality. It’s the oldest patriarchal trick in the book: if you can’t control her, punish her.

However, this isn’t new. From politics to cinema to boardrooms, women have been told their tone is “too harsh,” their jokes are “too crass,” and their opinions are “too much.” The policing of language is just a convenient mask for the bigger project — keeping women small, soft-spoken, and apologetic. And when women refuse? Men like Pal resort to threats of violence, hoping fear will do the work.

From Sumukhi Suresh to Gurleen Pannu and Urooj Ashfaq, women comedians are rewriting the rules of Indian comedy. They’re bold, they’re unapologetic, and yes, sometimes, like all comedians, they swear. Why is that such a problem?

“Nari Pradhan Desh“

If India is truly a nari pradhan desh, as Sunil Pal claims, why do the statistics scream otherwise?

Every 16 minutes, a woman is raped in India.

Over 19 women die every day due to dowry-related violence.

In 2023 alone, more than 4.5 lakh cases of crimes against women were registered.

This is the “devi” treatment women get in the so-called land of goddesses. The lived reality of women in India isn’t reverence, it’s harassment, assault, and systemic inequality. So, forgive us if we don’t buy the fantasy of a nari pradhan desh just because it sounds poetic in your rant.

And Sunil sir, I’m happy to represent all women here and say none of these female comedians are ruining our image. If anything, they are giving us representation. For the longest time, when comedians like you have made fun of wives, these women have managed to talk about harassment, dowry, catcalling and basically the everyday life of women in our “nari pradhan desh”. So, instead of worrying about the reputation of women, work on how you’re going to maintain yours after this insanely ridiculous statement.

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Related: India Fears Feminism More Than It Fears Violence Against Women