- July 29, 2021
- Business, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Startups, Technology
The year was 2020, when a single phenomena, divided the Indian audience into 2 distinct groups. In just weeks of the premiere of Shark Tank India on the Sony Network, the audience was left with very contrasting and strong opinions about the show. While some were inspired by the dynamism that the show brought forth, others believed it was not an accurate representation of the start-up culture in India.
This is my kind of petty pic.twitter.com/jEQsc6FjOj
— Josh (@JoshuaOgundu) February 13, 2022
Shark Tank and other shows
Whoever said that the only thing that really makes the world go round, is ‘entertainment’, was spot on. The very reality of Indian Reality television, before Shark Tank, was rather generic.
While on one hand there were performance oriented shows (like KBC or Indian Idol), on the other there were excessively melodramatic shows, ( like Big Boss ). While the former educated and gave us a peek into the lives of common people, with real stories, the latter created a strong emotional response. None the less, both genres, did and still do entertain us.
Amidst all this, Shark Tank India, was a breath of fresh air and an amalgamation of all these features. It took the audience by a storm and was able to create divisive responses over Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. To an extent, it was able to disrupt the pre-existing hierarchy.
Future of start ups is bright and booming, with the central government becoming more flexible and accepting of new businesses, one has to give credit where credit is due.
Was Shark Tank all too good to be true though?
To our excitement,
Yes. Much like a good bottle of wine, Shark Tank India, was an inculcated taste which matured over time.
Initially, the show may have been entertaining and even cringe-worthy, but not nearly as good as it eventually came to be. Many believed (continuing with the wine analogy), it was simply old wine served in a new bottle.
Shark Tank had been extremely popular in the past in Australia, UK, USA, and Japan. Thus the concept was not a novelty. What was unique about Shark Tank India, however, was the personalities who came as contestants (investment seekers), on the show.
While in the beginning, the show centered around animosity among the sharks, melodrama and over-dramatization, soon enough, the creators realized that the contestants were the true money makers and game changers, for the show to do well.
Here it is interesting to note on Shark Tank,
That most of the backlash that came against the show was from the Indian start-up circle.
To them, Shark Tank India was limiting the start up culture, making the show only about minting money, rather than focusing on how start ups have the power to create outlandish disruptions and the sheer back breaking hard work that goes into creating business.
Here, however, it is necessary to remember, that the show was not aimed at people belonging to the start up circle, it was more importantly, and primarily aimed at entertaining the masses, who watch it simply because of the exciting way in which it is presented.
While the criticisms continue to come in, we cannot negate the tremendous impact this show has had on the Indian society and on our perception of start ups.
Apart from P.M. Narendra Modi declaring 16th January as Start-Up Day (2022), the show reached out to the masses and made them believe that start ups do in fact have the power to disrupt a pre existing hierarchy.
The show feeds into this idea, not just by representing it in an exciting way, but in the process, also educates the viewers and inspires them to a certain extent.
Hence, while it was a clean break
From the established catalogue of Indian reality shows, at it’s very core was the desire to educate mainstream Indian audience.
The portrayal of strong business oriented women, on the show, was a fresh take in breaking the established perceptions of women in our patriarchal society and culture, where most women do not get opportunities to follow their dreams.
So where does Shark Tank leave us?
While the future of start ups is bright and booming, with the central government becoming more flexible and accepting of new businesses, one has to give credit where credit is due.
Shark Tank India has not only given people the scope and confidence to follow their own ideas, but has made the Indian audience more inspired and open to invest in the world of start ups.
Whether you are from a small town or a big city, the show has reached out to masses everywhere, and helped them believe, that an idea, no matter how small, has the power to change lives.
While some still are of the opinion that the show is simply harming the start up eco system, it seems unlikely. The show simply adheres to the notion that money is a mere validation to one’s ideas and hard work, while it is always upon the individual to dream big and work towards achieving it.
Thus the show makes dreams come true. And money? Well who doesn’t love it.
“Be the change you want to see”. Mahatma Gandhi’s words never ringed truer. Shark Tank, in itself represents and epitomizes the start up culture in India.
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