Shark Tank India is an Indian Hindi-language business reality television series that serves as the Indian adaptation of the American show Shark Tank, itself based on the Japanese format Dragons' Den. The series provides a platform for budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas and products to a panel of investors, known as "sharks", in exchange for funding in return for equity in their companies. The show is broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television and is also available on the streaming platform SonyLIV.
| Title | Shark Tank India |
|---|---|
| Genre | Business reality television |
| Based on | Shark Tank (United States) / Dragons' Den format |
| Language | Hindi (with English usage) |
| Country of origin | India |
| Original network | Sony Entertainment Television |
| Streaming partner | SonyLIV |
| Original release | 20 December 2021 – present |
| Format owner | Sony Pictures Television |
The Shark Tank franchise originated as Dragons' Den in Japan in 2001 and has since been adapted across numerous countries. The Indian version was announced by Sony Pictures Networks India and premiered as part of an effort to bring entrepreneurial content into Indian prime-time television, coinciding with the rapid expansion of the country's startup ecosystem and a growing public interest in business and investing.
Each episode features entrepreneurs presenting their ventures to the panel of sharks, who are practising business leaders and investors. After the pitch, the sharks question the founders on aspects such as revenue, valuation, margins, intellectual property, scalability, and unit economics. They may then make individual or joint offers, counter-offers, or decline to invest. Founders may negotiate or reject the offers. Deals announced on air are typically subject to subsequent due diligence before being finalised.
The first season was hosted by stand-up comedian and writer Rahul Dua. Subsequent seasons have featured different hosts associated with Indian television and digital media.
The panel comprises founders and senior executives from prominent Indian companies, with the line-up varying season to season. Investors who have appeared on the show include:
Shark Tank India has had a notable cultural and economic impact in India:
The series has received broad viewership and significant social media engagement, with clips and exchanges from pitches frequently going viral. Critics have praised the show for spotlighting grassroots entrepreneurship while also noting concerns about televised valuations, the gap between announced and finalised deals, and the entertainment-driven framing of business decisions. Several pitches and shark commentary segments have generated wider public debate on negotiation ethics, founder compensation, and gender dynamics in business.