Shark Tank India has returned for a fifth season and is already seeing controversy barely a few days in. The show is no stranger to strange pitches, entrepreneurs getting offended, judges getting called out for being rude and many other issues.
However, in the latest season, a pitcher was heavily slammed by the judges or Sharks as they are called on the reality show, after he called himself a doctor while pitching a wellness brand.
His claims about his professional credentials triggered sharp reactions from the judges and viewers alike. The founder’s repeated reference to himself as a “doctor” raised red flags to the point where the judges called him a ‘fraud’ and cautioned him against using titles that he had no authority over.
What Happened With The Pitcher?
The controversy unfolded during a pitch on Shark Tank India 5 when the founder of a natural skincare and wellness brand presented his products to the panel of Sharks.
The entrepreneur called Dr Manoj Das, is an influencer from Jaipur and was pitching his aromatherapy and naturopathy brand Lewisia Wellness that uses only natural ingredients for its skin, hair, and healthcare products.
According to reports, the man who claims to be an aromatherapist, a holistic practitioner who uses essential oils and aromatherapy to promote physical and emotional well-being, has a YouTube channel with 3.7 million subscribers and over 600,000 followers on Instagram.
During his pitch, Manoj valued his company at Rs. 100 crore and asked for an investment of Rs. 1 crore in exchange for a 1% equity stake.
Over the course of the pitch, though, the Sharks raised questions about the credibility of his brand, product claims and even his own self.
Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO of boAt, told the founder, “You say you are troubled by chemicals, yet your products themselves contain chemicals.”
Read More: Shark Tank India Season 1 Startups Secure 6x Greater Deals From Outside Investors Than On Show
Anupam Mittal also brought up the founder’s claim of having a 3.5 rating and his inventory valuation, but that his review count itself was very low.
He raised concerns over Das stating that 50% of his sales come from his website, and how he had so few reviews if the pitcher was selling ‘Rs 5 crore worth of inventory’.
To this, Aman commented, “Kuch gadbad hai, sir,” while Anupam added, “Tum kya kaand karne aaye ho?”
The judges also questioned how authentic the claims being made on the products given that they weren’t even clinically tested.
Anupam Mittal said, “Main samajh gaya yaar aap kya kar rahe ho. Aapka jaadu hai aapki content creation. Aapne reels banayi hai joh bahot provocative hai. Ye aapki reels viral hogayi hai aur uske through aapka business chala hai.”
The pitcher’s use of the doctor as a title for himself also raised the ire of the judges.
Anupam said, “Pehle ek baat batao, aap Aromatherapist hain, natural therapist hai, so usmein doctor aap likh sakte hain? Agar aap keh raho ho ke aap Bachelors in Aromatherapist kar rahe ho aur aap doctor naam laga sakte ho main bhai apna naam badal dunga. Bhaiya diligence mein pakde jaaoge.”
Aman echoed the sentiment and said, “This is fraud.”
Kunal Bahl also slammed Das for making baseless claims about curing all diseases, while Mohit Yadav of Minimalist spoke about how the pitcher was playing on the insecurity of people and “using clickbait content creation to sell his non-scientific products,” and that he was out.
Namita and Kunal also backed out of the with the former cautioning that the pitcher was misleading his customers and that the business was unethical. Kunal said, “Agar maine ismein paisa daal diya toh main apne country, business aur paise ke saath galat karunga.”
Mittal, losing his cool, angrily said, “Manoj aap social media par ho isliye nazar nahi aarahe, jab aaoge toh sidha jail jaaoge. I think you should leave, and I won’t even wish you good luck.”
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: The Indian Express, Business Today, TOI
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This post is tagged under: Shark Tank India, Shark Tank India judges, Shark Tank India new season, Shark Tank India season 5, Shark Tank India pitcher, Shark Tank India controversy,
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