Balika Vadhu actress Neha Marda got the idea for her business after struggling with body odour post-pregnancy. When she appeared on Shark Tank India 5, she asked for an investment of Rs 1.8 crore in exchange for 1% equity. Neha did get a deal, but with a condition – she had to pay Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal three times the royalty, amounting to Rs 5.4 crore.
For those unaware, Neha Marda pitched her personal care brand Phitku on Shark Tank India 5. The brand offers a premium alum-infused underarm roll-on inspired by her own postpartum body odour struggles.
Her pitch began with a creative qawwali performance. The Sharks put her under intense scrutiny. Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta questioned the product’s “fragrance-free” claim, asking if it was just a “gimmick.” Namita Thapar challenged the Rs 999 price, doubting whether Indian consumers would pay so much. Amit Jain raised concerns about the transparency of their finances and their ambitious Rs 180 crore valuation.
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Despite the tough questioning and some Sharks dropping out, Neha secured a deal. She received a combined Rs 3.6 crore from Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta. This was for 1% equity plus a royalty.
In a media interview, Neha and her brother Sumit shared their thoughts on how their pitch was edited and discussed the royalty decision.
Neha Marda Shares Her Shark Tank India 5 Experience
Talking about her experience on the show, Neha said, “Aisa laga jaise ek hi samay mein 10th aur 12th board ka exam de rahe ho. Maine bahut saare producers se paise liye hain, lekin kabhi bhi investors ko apna business pitch nahi kiya.”
Sumit added, “Maine pehle bhi kai investors ko pitch kiya hai, lekin yahan yeh alag tha. Sirf investors se baat karne se hi poora ecosystem badal jaata hai. Wahan makeup hota hai, lights hoti hain aur paanch sharks ek saath aap par sawalon ki bochhar karte hain. Jab aap ek ka jawab khatam karte ho, to agla sawal aa jaata hai. Maine bahut saare investors se paise liye hain, lekin yeh alag tha.”
Their Reaction To The Edited Episode
Neha Marda expressed disappointment over the edited episode. The actress said, “Episode ek daily soap drama ke telecast jaisa laga jisse main khud ko jod paayi. Hum Shark Tank mein lagbhag do ghante the aur aapne jo dekha woh lagbhag 17 se 20 minute ka tha. Isliye bhale hi yeh ghatna itni badi lag rahi ho ki sharks ne itne saare sawal uthaye, lekin itni zyada charcha kabhi nahi hui thi. Jis hisse mein unhe baat samajh mein aayi, woh telecast nahi hua.”
Sumit added, “Yeh pehli baar tha jab maine experience kiya ki music aur editing ek daily soap mein kitna bada farq la sakte hain. Jab humne episode dekha, to hum bhi soch rahe the, oh, aage kya hoga.”
Neha further said, “Ad aane se thik pehle aisa laga ki hume deal nahi milegi aur mujhe hairani hui ki kya hua, kyunki hume ek pal ke liye bhi aisa mehsoos nahi hua tha. Humne shuru se hi socha tha ki hume deal mil jaayegi.”
Sumit concluded, “Amit ke sawal real the aur agar do top sharks ne business mein invest kiya, to yeh zahir hai ki sab kuch clear tha, isliye unhone invest kiya. Lekin haan, ise thoda zyada dramatize kiya gaya, jo asal mein aisa nahi tha.”
Shark Tank India 5 continues to air fresh episodes from Monday to Friday on SonyTV and SonyLIV.
