The fourth season of Shark Tank India continues to captivate audiences with its engaging pitches and dramatic moments. The latest controversy involved Shark Anupam Mittal, who sharply criticized an influencer-turned-entrepreneur for presenting a weak business model despite earning a substantial income from social media.
Anupam Mittal’s Sarcasm on a Pitcher’s Business Idea
In a recent episode, finance influencer Vijay Nihalchandani appeared on the show alongside his wife, brother, and business partner to pitch their app, Make My Payment. The app aims to simplify debt management by sending automated payment reminders to users. Vijay sought ₹30 lakh for 3% equity in the venture.
During the pitch, Anupam Mittal inquired about the app’s traction. Vijay’s wife revealed that the app had only 200 active users and 3,500 sign-ups, with monthly revenue of just ₹30,000. Anupam responded with biting sarcasm, suggesting that Vijay might do better running a street cart:
“You’re making ₹30,000 per month, isse acha thela laga lo.”
Instagram Earnings Surprise the Sharks
While the pitch failed to impress most sharks, boAt CEO Aman Gupta asked Vijay if he was engaged in any other ventures. Vijay revealed that he is a social media influencer with over 1 million Instagram followers, earning ₹5 lakh per month from his online presence. This revelation caught the attention of Peyush Bansal, co-founder of Lenskart, who expressed admiration for Vijay’s social media success.
However, Anupam Mittal remained unimpressed and questioned why Vijay was pursuing a business with low returns when his influencer career was so lucrative. After the pitch, Namita Thapar questioned Peyush’s support for Vijay’s earnings, prompting Anupam to remark:
“This isn’t India’s Got Talent. If it’s so amazing, you should have invested in him yourself.”
Previous Criticism of Anupam Mittal
This is not the first time Anupam Mittal has faced backlash for his remarks on the show. Earlier, entrepreneur Gauri Varma, who pitched her confectionery brand Confect, criticized some sharks, including Anupam, for being dismissive of her business. Gauri felt that the sharks showed little interest in discussing numbers or understanding her product category during her 20-minute pitch.
Fans React to the Drama
As always, opinions are divided. While some viewers appreciated Anupam’s candid feedback, others felt he was too harsh in his criticism.
@sharktankindia time to drop Anupam Mittal . He is too arrogant and rarely makes any deal . He can bring out trp but hazardous in longer run for the show
— thelazydad (@abhinavsoni83) January 26, 2025
What’s your take on Anupam Mittal’s remarks? Share your thoughts!