Did Shark Tank India’s Ashneer Grover take a dig at Anupam Mittal?: ‘I don’t have a baritone to rely on’

Shark Tank India's Ashneer Grover doesn't get the point of beating about the bush, and believes his co-judges on the show were contradicting themselves when they appreciated business ideas but didn't invest in them.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | February 15, 2022 11:50 AM IST

3 min read

Anupam Mittal and Ashneer Grover appeared as 'sharks' on Shark Tank India. (Photo: Sony Entertainment Television/YouTube)

Ashneer Grover, one of the ‘sharks’ on Shark Tank India, defended his behaviour that has been described as ‘crude’. In a podcast appearance, he said that over the years, he has learned that brutal honesty is valuable not just as an investor but as an entrepreneur.

He said that if he weren’t honest to his investors and his employees, he wouldn’t have been able to build multi-billion dollar businesses in the last four years. On Raj Shamani’s Figuring Out podcast, posted on YouTube, Ashneer said in Hindi, “In the last four years, the businesses that I have build–and these are like multi-billion dollar businesses–have been successful only because there is some level of honesty, with yourself and with all your stakeholders. It’s not like I have the face of Shah Rukh Khan, or a baritone voice. Nobody’s going to appreciate me for my looks, nor am I going to sound pleasing to the ears. So what do I have to offer? Why would anyone listen to me? They will take me seriously if they think I’m logical, or if I’m straightforward.”

Also read | Shark Tank India’s Anupam Mittal admits he was offended by Ashneer Grover’s ‘harsh’ comments about him: ‘Anyone can buy ads’

Anupam Mittal, one of the co-panelists on the show, has been widely appreciated for his calm demeanour and his raspy voice, which has been described as a ‘baritone’. He has also had tiffs with Ashneer, and said in an interview that even though he loves him, Ashneer has a tendency of not filtering his thoughts, and that he was ‘offended’ by certain things that Ashneer had said on the show.

Wondering why it’s okay for his co-panelists on the show to say appreciate businesses but still not invest in them, he continued, “If I say that a business is great but I can’t invest in it, the pitcher will obviously ask why, especially if I’ve just praised their idea. Just say it’s terrible. Or if you like it, invest in it. So, I don’t understand this diplomacy of saying, ‘It’s a great business, but I’m out’. I don’t get it. You’re contradicting yourself. Don’t say it’s a great business at all! Just say it’s terrible, I don’t understand it, and I’m not going to invest in it. At least the pitcher will appreciate you for not wasting their time.”

Ashneer said that he has experienced a lot of rejection in his time, so he will always value straightforwardness over vague comments. The BharatPe co-founder was easily the most controversial figure on the reality show’s panel, both in terms of his on-set behaviour, and what has happened off it in recent weeks.

Shark Tank India is an adaptation of the popular American reality show, which has been running successfully for 13 seasons since 2009. The show concluded its first season earlier this month.

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