Shark Tank India 5: Television actress Neha Marda (best known for playing Gehna in Balika Vadhu) recently made her mark as an entrepreneur. She appeared on Shark Tank India 5 to pitch her personal care brand Phitku, an alum-infused underarm roll-on. The product is designed to tackle body odour and everyday hygiene problems for Indian consumers.
After pregnancy, she struggled with body odour, which affected her confidence. This experience inspired her to create a solution that could help others.
Neha Marda Opens Up About Her Journey On Shark Tank India 5
During her pitch, Neha shared, “Post my pregnancy, I started feeling a little discomfort with my body odour. Being an actor, my confidence was shaken that day. Nothing actually worked to solve it. What began as a personal problem soon turned into a business idea.”
Phitku is a chemical-free, practical product made from traditional Indian ingredients like alum, coconut oil and shea butter. It aims to offer a safe and effective way to stay fresh.
Sharks Question Product Claims And Pricing
The Sharks grilled Neha on several points. Anupam Mittal questioned the fragrance, asking, “Yeh fragrance ka matlab kya hai? Is it just a gimmick?” Amit Jain raised concerns about usability, noting that some applications did not seem effective.
Namita Thapar focused on pricing and said, “Rs 200 mein deo milte hain, Rs 100 mein bhi milte hain, aur aapka Rs 999 ka hai. India relate kar paayegi?” She pointed out the difficulty of selling a premium-priced product in a market used to cheaper deodorants.
Other sharks like Aman Gupta, Vineeta Singh also seemed dissatisfied. The panel also questioned whether Neha’s celebrity status helped boost sales when they revealed selling 2 lakh units. Sharks asked for proof that alum-based deodorants could provide long-lasting odour protection without misleading customers.
