MUMBAI – A video clip from a stand-up comedian Pranit More’s act has created a huge uproar on social media that has brought Mumbai-based medical student and social media influencer Sejal Pawar in the middle of a national debate about medical ethics and social decency.
The outrage led Pawar to publicly apologise after a barrage of internet criticism and demands for disciplinary punishment.
The Controversy: What Happened on Stage?
The incident occurred during a crowd-work part of a live comedy show hosted by stand-up comedian Pranit More. When More asked the audience whether medical students retain professional solemnity or crack jokes while working on human beings, Pawar answered from the crowd.
In the video, MBBS student Pawar spoke about her experience during anatomy dissection classes. She said she and her female classmates would compare and grade the private areas of male cadavers, joking that they would save the “main part” for last. The audience laughed in person, but the clip sparked a serious backlash when it appeared on X (previously Twitter) and Instagram.
As critics pointed out, the joke was aimed at dead people who had contributed their corpses to medical science without blinking an eye, to teach the future generation of health care workers, and the fury grew.
Who is Sejal Pawar?
1. Medical Background
Sejal Pawar is a 2022 batch undergraduate medical student at Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, which is one of the top most medical colleges in India.
2. Social Media Influencer
Alongside her medical education, Pawar has established a large internet footprint. She is a content producer and documents the day-to-day of medical school, student friendships and life in the hospital on Instagram where she has more than 244,000 followers. She has also featured in several youth-based podcasts on modern relationships and dating.
Sejal Pawar Photos
The Backlash and Impact
The viral clip triggered an avalanche of criticism from medical professionals, students, and the general public, many of whom argued that the comments severely breached medical ethics and compromised the dignity owed to “silent teachers” (cadavers).
- Public Trust Concerns: Social media users expressed concern that such callous humor could damage public trust in body donation programs, discouraging families from donating the remains of loved ones to medical universities.
- Demands for Action: A segment of internet users called upon KEM Hospital and medical licensing authorities to take strict disciplinary action against her, with some even demanding the cancellation of her medical career prospects.
- The “Pranit More” Show Context: The incident gained rapid traction because it followed immediately on the heels of another viral controversy from the exact same comedy show involving an audience member named Himanshu Jangra, whose “₹370 biryani” comments regarding dating expectations sparked separate outrage and resulted in his termination from his corporate job.
Sejal Pawar Responds with Public Apology
Following the mounting online outrage, Pawar initially set her Instagram account to private and deleted her previous content before issuing a formal public apology via both a video message and a written statement.
In her apology, Pawar took full responsibility, admitting that she “said a very wrong thing” and called her behavior naive, as it was the first stand-up comedy show she had ever attended.
“I completely understand why people were upset by what I said. The topic is a sensitive one, and my comments came across in a way they shouldn’t have,” Pawar wrote in her statement. “While there was never any intention to disrespect anyone, I recognize that impact matters more than intent.”
She added:
“I’m not here to justify what was said or explain it away. I take responsibility for it… As a student, this has been a learning experience for me, and it has made me reflect on the way I communicate, especially when discussing subjects that deserve greater thought and sensitivity.”
While Pawar stated that she had emphasized during the wider interaction that she deeply respects cadavers, she acknowledged that the specific joke should never have been uttered and promised to be more conscious of her public speech moving forward.
