The high-stakes environment of Shark Tank India recently transformed into a courtroom-like scene when Manoj Das, the founder of Lewisia Wellness, presented his range of aromatherapy and hair care products. While Das marketed himself under the title “Dr. Manoj Das,” the Sharks quickly dismantled his branding, exposing a lack of formal medical qualifications.
The pitch, which started as a standard presentation for aromatherapy and hair care products, quickly turned into a lecture on ethics and legal boundaries. Beyond just doubting the business itself, the judges were seriously worried about the way he used a medical title to market “miracle cures” to people on social media who wouldn’t know any better.
Who is ‘Dr.’ Manoj Das?
Manoj Das is a wellness entrepreneur and influential content creator who specializes in naturopathy and aromatherapy. Having entered the beauty industry in 2003, he transitioned into creating YouTube content in 2017 before launching his business in 2020. During the pitch for his brand, which includes categories like Skin Affairs and Wellness Beat, Das revealed that his “Doctor” title was not earned through a conventional medical degree such as an MBBS or a PhD.
Instead, he claimed the prefix based on an honorary recognition of his 25 years of experience in the field. He positioned himself as a holistic health expert, but his inability to explain the vision and core numbers of his Rs 100 crore valuation business quickly created a wave of skepticism among the investors.
“The day you are caught, you will go straight to jail”
The tension reached a boiling point when Anupam Mittal scrutinized the scientific validity of Das’s claims, particularly his provocative social media reels that promised to ‘cure’ genetic baldness. “I understand what you are doing,” Mittal stated firmly. “Your ‘magic’ is your content creation. You’ve made provocative reels that went viral, and that’s how your business runs. But these claims are baseless.”
The discussion turned from business strategy to legal risk when Mittal warned that using the ‘Dr.’ prefix without being a registered medical practitioner was fraudulent. “Manoj, you are on social media, so you aren’t being noticed yet,” Mittal delivered as a chilling warning. “The day a regulator catches you, you will go straight to jail. I think you should leave and I won’t even wish you good luck.”
The other Sharks were equally vocal in their disdain for the founder’s tactics, with Mohit Yadav of Minimalist being the first to back out. He accused Das of “playing on users’ insecurities” and using “clickbait content” to sell products that lacked clinical testing. Namita Thapar was the next to refuse support, labelling the business “unethical” and a case of “misleading consumers.”
Aman Gupta expressed deep disappointment, stating, “If I put money into this, I would be doing something wrong toward my country, my business, and my money,” while Kunal Bahl slammed the founder for claiming his oils could cure all diseases. Unsurprisingly, the pitch ended with no deal, leaving the Sharks in total agreement that using a fake title to sell health products is a line no entrepreneur should cross.
