Shark Tank India 5 pitcher grilled by Anupam Mittal for calling himself a doctor while studying aromatherapy: ‘Kya kaand karne aaye ho?’ 

Anupam Mittal is also seen arguing with the pitcher over calling himself a doctor. Questioning the legitimacy of the claim, Anupam says, “If you’re telling me that you’re doing a bachelor’s degree in aromatherapy and adding ‘Doctor’ to your name, then I’ll change my own name.”

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The pitchers featured in the promo range from owners of dessert shops to entrepreneurs from the aromatherapy space.In another intense moment, Anupam and Aman grill a pitcher on funding. Anupam asks, “How are you funding this without raising capital?” The pitcher replies, “I have invested my lifetime savings, a home loan top-up, and a gold loan.” He adds, “If we get the right mentorship at the right time, we will be able to sustain.”

Aman quickly counters, “But what if you don’t receive that advice?”

These moments of tension and drama are exactly what have kept Shark Tank India in the spotlight, helping it sustain its popularity across five seasons.

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Shark Tank India performance so far

When Shark Tank India first premiered in December 2021, the internet was flooded with memes and viral clips. It became India’s first business reality show to truly capture mass attention around entrepreneurship and innovative startup ideas.

The first season featured around 35 episodes and recorded an average TRP of 0.6, translating to over 20 million viewers in its opening week despite mixed audience reactions. It also catapulted sharks like Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Ghazal Alagh, Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal, Vineeta Singh, and especially Ashneer Grover to nationwide fame. For Ashneer, the show opened doors to hosting other reality programs.

Season 2 recorded an average TRP between 0.4 and 0.5 throughout its run. The third season drew approximately 4.5 million weekly viewers, with an estimated total episode viewership of around 80 million.

Season 4 proved to be a major success, clocking over 178 million views. Reportedly, its OTT viewership was 102% higher than Bigg Boss OTT 3. The season also made headlines for significant investments, with sharks committing nearly Rs 94.8 crore to startups—highlighting strong deal-making and growing investor confidence.

Shark Tank India season 4 made new records

According to Financial Express, the show witnessed 100% user growth across 42 Tier-2 markets after it shifted to an OTT-only release, moving away from the traditional television-first format.

Reflecting on the show’s evolution, Anupam Mittal shared a post on LinkedIn after Season 4. He wrote, “You know what’s changed in Shark Tank India Season 4? When we first started, the show and the sharks were ridiculed by pedigreed founders and VCs for dramatizing Shark Tank ABC. But the creators—Sony Pictures Networks India, Bimal Unnikrishnan, and the OG sharks—persevered. Three seasons later, STI and the sharks (especially yours truly) have emerged as one of the top choices for brands. Close to Rs 100 crore was committed across ~180 pitches, with average deal sizes getting much bigger. Deals of Rs 1–5 crore per company were not uncommon, as valuations are finally reasonable and founders are coming to the Tank to do legitimate deals.”