From television stardom to the Shark Tank India stage, Neha Marda is all set to make a bold entrepreneurial move rooted in a deeply personal journey. The Balika Vadhu actor will appear on Shark Tank India Season 5, pitching her premium underarm roll-on brand Phitku. During the pitch, Neha opened up about how post-pregnancy changes impacted her confidence, ultimately inspiring her to create the alum-infused personal care product.
During her stint, Neha Marda said, "Post my pregnancy, I started feeling a little discomfort with my body odor. 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."
As the pitch moved forward, the Sharks began scrutinising the product’s claims and pricing. Anupam Mittal questioned the roll-on’s fragrance promise, pointing out that it was being marketed as a natural product with all-day freshness. He asked whether the fragrance claim was genuine or merely a marketing gimmick. Namita Thapar raised concerns and said, "Rs 200 mein deo milte hain, Rs 100 mein bhi milte hain, aur aapka Rs 999 ka hai. India relate kar paayegi?"
The Sharks also turned their attention to Neha Marda’s celebrity status. They questioned whether her television fame had significantly contributed to the brand’s visibility and early traction and whether the business could sustain its growth without relying on that advantage.
Shark Tank India Season 5 features returning Sharks Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh, Ritesh Agarwal, Kunal Bahl, Viraj Bahl and Amit Jain. The season also introduces new judges Mohit Yadav (Minimalist), Kanika Tekriwal (JetSetGo), Shaily Mehrotra (FixDerma), along with Hardik Kothiya and Varun Alagh.
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The fifth season of Shark Tank India premiered on January 5, 2026.