If there’s one thing Aman Gupta does on Shark Tank India, it’s keep it brutally real. And in one of Season 5’s most talked-about moments, the boAt co-founder had some very sharp words for a Mumbai-based collectible toy brand that dared compare itself to the global Labubu craze — saying he’d shut it down without teeth!
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Meet Shichisōru — India’s Quirky Collectible Brand
Mumbai-based Shichisōru, founded by artist Maitreyee Koli, is a design-led D2C brand that creates cute, original, art-inspired merchandise including plushies, blind packs, stickers, magnets, and keychains featuring adorable collectible characters. Think India’s very own Labubu — minus the sharp teeth, minus the Chinese price tag, and with a whole lot of homegrown charm.
The brand stepped into the Shark Tank India Season 5 tank pitching their vision of making India-made collectibles go viral globally. Aman Gupta, never one to hold back, compared the toothless characters to their viral inspiration and quipped he’d have the Labubu shut down — “bandh karwa dunga” — if the teeth were removed.
The Shark Tank India Season 5 Deal Breakdown
Despite Aman’s scepticism about the Labubu comparison, the pitch didn’t go home empty-handed:
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Brand | Shichisōru |
| Founder | Maitreyee Koli |
| Products | Plushies, blind packs, stickers, keychains |
| Investor | Shaily Mehrotra (FixDerma) |
| Equity Deal | ₹35 Lakh for 10% equity |
| Debt Deal | ₹40 Lakh at 10% interest (3 years) |
| Valuation | ₹3.5 Crore |
The deal values the company at ₹3.5 crore and marks a milestone in India’s fast-evolving direct-to-consumer ecosystem.
Why Aman’s Reaction Was the Real Story
Aman Gupta’s “bandh karwa dunga” one-liner perfectly captured the tension of the pitch. The Labubu craze — driven by celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa and BLACKPINK’s Lisa — has set an incredibly high bar for collectible toy brands globally. Shichisōru’s pitch was essentially saying, “We can do that, but Indian.” Aman, ever the market realist, challenged that head-on.
According to Wikipedia, Aman Gupta is the co-founder of boAt Lifestyle and has investments in more than 100 companies and startups across five seasons of Shark Tank India. His pushback wasn’t malicious — it was the kind of hard-nosed feedback that separates a pitch from a business plan.
Shaily Mehrotra, however, saw the creative potential and backed the brand with a hybrid equity-plus-debt deal — a smart structure for a capital-efficient creative startup.
For more Shark Tank India Season 5 updates and startup news, check out TechnoSports for the latest coverage.
FAQs
Q: Did Shichisōru get a deal on Shark Tank India Season 5?
Yes! Shichisōru secured ₹35 lakh for 10% equity plus ₹40 lakh in debt from Shark Shaily Mehrotra, valuing the brand at ₹3.5 crore.
Q: What did Aman Gupta say about Shichisōru’s Labubu comparison on Shark Tank India?
Aman Gupta dismissed the Labubu comparison with his iconic “bandh karwa dunga” remark, suggesting the toothless characters couldn’t match the viral appeal of the original sharp-toothed collectible.
