Rs 1.2 crore deal lost by pitchers after Vineeta Singh calls them 'fake'; founders fire back at Shark Tank India Season 4 judges

The latest season of Shark Tank India has sparked intense reactions, especially surrounding Personal Touch Skincare's pitch. Entrepreneurs Ashish and Aditi Jawa, who appeared in the fourth season of the show, have now voiced their frustration after facing accusations of manipulating their business figures. The duo, who sought an investment of Rs 1.2 crore for 1% equity in their company, were met with skepticism and harsh criticism from the judges, particularly Vineeta Singh, the CEO of Sugar Cosmetics.

Vineeta Singh Questions the Pitchers’ Authenticity

During their pitch, Ashish and Aditi highlighted their company's impressive growth, showcasing a substantial increase in sales and social media reach. However, Vineeta questioned the authenticity of their claims, especially regarding their Instagram numbers and sales figures. "I’m having trouble giving you credit," Vineeta remarked, expressing doubt about the true nature of their success. Her skepticism deepened when the pitchers insisted their social media reach was organic and not artificially boosted.

Vineeta took the extra step of verifying the sales data provided by the pitchers on Shopify, which led her to accuse them of inflating numbers. "Daal mein kuch kaala hai" (Something's fishy here), she commented, signaling her disbelief. This remark, along with the doubts raised by other sharks, left Ashish and Aditi feeling disrespected.

Pitchers Respond on Social Media

The emotional toll of the episode prompted Ashish and Aditi to take to social media to respond to the harsh treatment. In an Instagram video, Aditi shared, "It was a dream for us to go on Shark Tank India, and we went there. If we had gotten a deal, it would have been nice. Not getting one did not affect us so much, but what was hurtful was the way the sharks treated us and how they kept saying that our community was not real." She further explained how their brand's rapid growth had been fueled by genuine efforts, stating, "We built a community of clients who are like family to us and buy a lot from us, which is why our brand has scaled 11x year on year."

Ashish echoed Aditi's sentiments, adding, "The harsh reality is that they couldn’t believe what the two of us have done and achieved in these two years." He also defended their business by emphasizing that they had shared their confidential Shopify data to prove their authenticity, but still faced skepticism.

As a direct response to the accusations, the siblings encouraged their loyal customers to share testimonials online to demonstrate the legitimacy of their business. "We urge our community to tag the sharks and show them our power," they said.

Despite not securing a deal, Ashish and Aditi expressed that their primary disappointment wasn't the lack of investment but rather the way their brand and achievements were questioned.