Ashneer Grover is offended he’s called an influencer, but accepts it pays well: ‘Made more money in the last year than…’

During an audience interaction session during the talk, a student of Ghaziabad’s Institute of Management Technology asked, “These days, most entrepreneurs are turning into influencers. I see a lot of similarities between you and Ankur Warikoo… Do entrepreneurs start thinking that being famous is important?” As the crowd chuckled, Ashneer said in Hindi, “I’ve never heard a more offensive statement.”

He continued, “I’m so offended, I want to get up an leave. You don’t take his and my name in the same sentence. I have just one rule, you can say whatever you want to me. You can abuse my mother and sister, I won’t say a thing. But don’t compare me to Ankur Warikoo… Now coming to the good part of your question. If I’m making Reels, why are you watching. Everybody can make Reels, but the question is whose Reels are being watched. Yes, I’m an influencer. I like getting involved in everything and creating a disruption.”

Ashneer said that it’s a no-brainer for him to keep making Reels, if he keeps getting over 20 million views per video. “If you had any idea what influencers are making these days, you’d cry,” he said, adding that he has made more money as an influencer over the last year than his stints as an entrepreneur and in banking. “I don’t need a show anymore, people are consuming more of me on social media than they ever consumed me on TV,” he said.

Ashneer rose to overnight fame after appearing in the hit second season of Shark Tank India as a judge. He chose not to return for the recently concluded season two, but didn’t reveal why.