The speculation around Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of Zomato, being dropped as a shark on Shark Tank India took a major turn after the release of the first promotional asset for the new season. This buzz stemmed from the fact that Swiggy, Zomato's direct competitor, had signed on as one of the show's biggest sponsors. The rumors gained further traction when Deepinder Goyal himself acknowledged during an event that he had been "kicked out" of the show, fueling the fire.
The press meet for the new season of Shark Tank India held on Monday, where the sharks gathered to discuss the upcoming season, saw several responses to this topic. India Today Digital seized the opportunity to ask the sharks if they were worried about such a situation happening to them in the future and whether they were ensuring protective clauses in their contracts.
Viraj Bahl, the newly added shark on the show and founder of Veeba, was the first to respond with humor. He jokingly stated, "I am only happy. Deepinder gaya toh mere ko jagah mil gaya (Because Deepinder left, I got this spot). I can write a thank-you note to Zomato." His lighthearted response helped ease some tension around the topic and showcased the camaraderie among the sharks.
Meanwhile, Danish Khan, the Business Head of Sony LIV and StudioNext, took a more measured approach. He clarified that Swiggy’s founders were not part of the show as sharks and had not made any appearances on it. He further explained, “Also, everything that comes in newspapers is not always true. We would love to have him (Deepinder) at some point. One needs to understand that we have around 50 episodes, and there are permutations regarding the sharks' availability. They are all busy running their organizations, and we get them to spend weekends with us. I won’t say much, but there’s no such thing as reported. Some sharks have been on the show for four seasons, and we hope to see them next time too.”
Aman Gupta, boAt's co-founder and chief marketing officer, and one of the show’s 'OG Sharks', shared his perspective as well. He dismissed the rumors with a simple statement: "Aisa kuch nahi hai (There's nothing like this)." Reflecting on his own experience, he pointed out, “I am the perfect example. I have not sponsored this show, and yet I have been on this show for the last four seasons. So, I will never say that the makers did this for money. I feel indebted that they chose us and made us sharks. I can vouch for it and give in writing that I have not paid a single penny. It's a beautiful feeling to be here, and I hope it continues. Sharks will come and go; there will always be a change—hopefully, except for me (laughs). But this is life.”
The sharks for Shark Tank India 4 have already been revealed, with some familiar faces and a few new ones. Alongside Aman Gupta and Viraj Bahl, the other sharks include Anupam Mittal (founder and CEO of Shaadi.com), Namita Thapar (executive director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals), Ritesh Agarwal (founder and group CEO of OYO), Peyush Bansal (co-founder and CEO of Lenskart), Vineeta Singh (co-founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics), Azhar Iqubal (co-founder and chairman of Inshorts), Varun Dua (founder and CEO of ACKO), and Kunal Bahl (co-founder of Snapdeal and Titan Capital). Each of these individuals brings a wealth of experience to the show, and their combined knowledge is set to offer viewers an engaging and informative season.
The future of Deepinder Goyal’s involvement with the show remains uncertain, but the ongoing conversations have sparked greater interest in the dynamics of the show, especially in terms of how the sharks are selected, their availability, and their relationship with sponsors. For now, the sharks’ responses seem to reassure fans and participants that the show’s integrity and focus remain on entrepreneurial excellence rather than external factors.
