Shark Tank: Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta ask 'Naturopath' Manoj Das ‘Tum kya kaand karne aaye ho?’ for allegedly fooling customers, pitcher drops ‘Dr’ title, deletes profile

Shark Tank: Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta ask 'Naturopath' Manoj Das ‘Tum kya kaand karne aaye ho?’ after allegedly fooling customers, pitcher drops ‘Dr’ title, deletes profile

• Shark Tank India episode sparks debate on medical titles and influencer trust
• Manoj Das faced scrutiny for using "Dr" without a medical degree
• Das removed "Dr" from his profile and deleted social media after backlash.

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An episode of Shark Tank India has triggered a sharp debate around medical credentials, influencer trust, and consumer vulnerability, after wellness entrepreneur Manoj Das faced tough questioning from the Sharks over his use of the title “doctor”.

In the first episode of Shark Tank India Season 5, titled Sweet Ideas and Bold Dreams, which aired on January 5, influencer Dr Manoj Das pitched his natural skincare and haircare brand, Lewisia Wellness. While the pitch began on a confident note, it soon turned uncomfortable as the Sharks questioned his qualifications and the claims attached to his products.

Manoj Das introduced himself as a naturopath and aromatherapy specialist, explaining that this was why he used the prefix “Dr” before his name. The explanation did not go down well with the panel, especially Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta, who appeared visibly disturbed by what they felt could mislead customers.

Anupam Mittal sharply questioned the logic behind using the title, saying, “Agar aap keh rahe ho ki aap Bachelors in Aromatherapy kar rahe ho aur aap doctor naam laga sakte ho! Mein bhai mera naam badal dunga.” His comment drew attention to the seriousness of using medical titles in industries that directly affect public health and trust.

Also Read: Exclusive - Shark Tank India 5's Vineeta Singh, Anupam Mittal and Aman Gupta: 'The show isn't scripted, say founders should be prepared for tough questions'

The scrutiny intensified when Kunal Bahl asked Manoj Das to share ratings and reviews of his products on online marketplaces. Despite claims of generating around Rs 5 crore in inventory sales and Rs 4 crore in profits, the influencer revealed that his Amazon rating stood at 3.5 with just about 50 reviews. This raised red flags for the Sharks.

Reacting to the mismatch in numbers, Aman Gupta remarked, “Kuch gadbad hai, sir,” while Anupam bluntly asked, “Tum kya kaand karne aaye ho?”

The episode, released on YouTube on January 7, quickly sparked backlash online. Several medical professionals and viewers questioned the influencer economy around wellness products. AIIMS-trained neurologist Dr Rahul Chawla called Manoj Das a “quack doctor” in a social media post, urging people to verify the degrees of health influencers they follow.

Following the backlash, Manoj Das removed the “Dr” prefix from his profile. Reports now suggest that he has also deleted his entire social media profile, further fuelling conversation around accountability, public trust, and the responsibilities of influencers operating in health-related spaces.