- By Swati Singh
- Fri, 16 Jan 2026 07:58 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The business reality show Shark Tank India made its debut in 2021 and has since grown into one of the country’s most popular entrepreneurial platforms, bringing innovative ideas and aspiring founders into the spotlight. Among the original judges on the show has been boAt co-founder and entrepreneur Aman Gupta, who has become a familiar face to viewers over the seasons. In a recent interaction with Humans of Bombay, Aman opened up about his experience on the show, candidly sharing who his favourite fellow shark is. During the conversation, he also addressed one of the most frequently asked and debated questions among fans of the series — whether entrepreneurs are required to pay in order to appear as sharks on the show.
Aman Gupta said, "I hope the Shark Tank India makers don’t scold me for saying this. I think you become a sponsor and there are some sponsors of Shark Tank India who come." He further added, "It’s been happening for the last few seasons. I don’t pay to be a shark, but some of them become sponsors and then come for a weekend."
During the conversation, the entrepreneur went on to reveal that Namita Thapar is his favourite shark on the show, while also candidly admitting that he does not share the same equation with all the other judges. His honest remark offered a glimpse into the dynamics behind the panel, highlighting that while there is mutual respect, personal preferences and differences do exist among the sharks.
Shark Tank India is a Hindi-language business reality show that airs on Sony LIV and Sony Entertainment Television and is the Indian adaptation of the global format Shark Tank. The series features entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of investors, or sharks, who decide whether to invest. Since its debut in 2021, the show has seen multiple seasons with evolving panels of sharks and hosts, including Rannvijay Singh in Season 1 and Rahul Dua in Seasons 2 and 3, followed by Sahiba Bali and Aashish Solanki in Season 4.
Each season introduced new investors from India’s startup ecosystem. For Season 5, the show saw the addition of a new host, Aditya Kulshreshth, joining Sahiba Bali and Aashish Solanki, along with new sharks entering the panel.