Pakistani entrepreneur and Shark Tank Pakistan investor Usman Bashir has hit back at Indian judges Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta over their criticism of the show. Addressing the controversy, Bashir defended the program’s legitimacy, stating, “The fundamentals cannot be basically wrong. The episodes and guidelines are set in accordance with the international Shark Tank franchise and not independently by us. It is not like we are producing it the way we want.”
Taking a dig at Mittal and Gupta, Bashir implied that their remarks were outdated. “The people passing stupid comments, I wouldn’t want to say anything about them because they are old,” he said. When the host pressed him on whether he was calling Anupam Mittal an old man, Bashir laughed and replied, “Ab kya kare (What can we do?).” Further asked if he was suggesting Mittal dyes his hair, Bashir quipped, “Maybe technology is so fast that Anupam Mittal is outdated now because he is commenting on the fundamentals of a franchise that he himself is a part of.”
How the controversy began
The controversy was sparked when podcaster Sharan Hegde asked Mittal, the founder of Shaadi.com, and Gupta, co-founder of Boat Electronics, about their views on Shark Tank Pakistan. Mittal reacted by laughing and sarcastically questioning, “Bhai ho raha kya hai wahan pe? (What is happening there?)” Gupta admitted he had not seen the entire show but called the snippets “interesting” while noting that it was still “far from perfect.”
Mittal then made a serious remark about Pakistan’s economic struggles, warning that a lack of productivity in the country could lead to regional instability. His statement sparked a wave of debate online.
Netizens react to Shark Tank India Vs Shark Tank Pakistan
The online response has been divided. Many Pakistanis defended their version of Shark Tank, emphasising that the two countries are on different economic levels and cannot be directly compared. Some highlighted that Usman Bashir had made the largest investment in Shark Tank’s global history, securing a deal worth USD 5.4 million. On the other hand, some social media users mocked the Indian judges, calling them “dolphins” instead of sharks for their investment style. Others felt that Shark Tank Pakistan needed a more outspoken judge similar to Ashneer Grover, known for his blunt critiques on the Indian version of the show.