‘Kya kaand karne aaye ho?’: Anupam Mittal slams pitcher in Shark Tank India 5's harshest rejection —Here's what happened | Today News

Touted as one of the most controversial moments of Shark Tank India Season 5, Dr Manoj Das's pitch ended in what many are calling the most brutal rejection in the show's history.

The founder of the aromatherapy and naturopathy brand Lewisia Wellness faced intense backlash from the Sharks, leaving them visibly irritated and unconvinced.

Manoj Das introduced himself as an aromatherapist—a practitioner who uses essential oils and aromatic plant extracts to promote physical and emotional well-being.

He later launched Lewisia Wellness, which he claimed relies solely on natural ingredients for its skin, hair, and healthcare products. He has more than 600,000 followers on Instagram and 3.7 million subscribers on YouTube, according to media reports.

Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO of boAt, questioned the brand’s positioning, telling the founder, “You say you are troubled by chemicals, yet your products themselves contain chemicals.”

Mohit Yadav, co-founder of skincare brand Minimalist, also challenged the claim, explaining that everything is technically a chemical. “Even water is a chemical,” he said, adding that calling products “chemical-free” is misleading and that he disagreed with such messaging.

As the Sharks reviewed clips of Manoj's social media reels—where he promised hair regrowth and blemish-free skin, Anupam Mittal, founder and director of Shaadi.com, pointed out that the business growth appeared to be driven by provocative content rather than product credibility.

He stated that the claims made in the videos were baseless and accused the founder of exploiting people’s insecurities about theirappearance.

Anupam also questioned Manoj’s use of the title “doctor,” asking whether an aromatherapist and naturopath was legally entitled to use it.

Anupam asked, “Pehle ek baat batao, aap aromatherapist aur natural therapist ho—kya usmein aap ‘doctor’ likh sakte ho?”

He added that if merely doing a bachelor’s degree in aromatherapy allowed someone to use the title, he would change his own name, warning, “Due diligence mein pakde jaaoge.”

Aman remarked, “Kuch gadbad hai, sir,” while Anupam questioned sharply, “Tum kya kaand karne aaye ho?”

Anupam Mittal lost his temper with Manoj Das, accusing him of misleading Indian consumers. He said, “Manoj, aap social media par ho isliye nazar nahi aa rahe, lekin jab aaoge toh sidha jail jaaoge. I think you should leave, and I won’t even wish you good luck.”

Aman echoed the concern, calling it a serious issue if the title was being used without proper qualification.

Over its five seasons, Shark Tank India has carved a distinct place in Indian media by combining competitive reality TV with hands-on business mentorship.

Season 5’s mix of veteran Sharks and fresh voices highlights both proven expertise and the growing breadth of India’s entrepreneurial landscape. With its early January launch, the series promises high-stakes pitches, candid feedback, and potential deals that could shape the nation’s start-up ecosystem.