Ashneer Grover on why he unfollowed all Shark Tank India judges, being called ‘mote waale Shark’ and more

Ashneer Grover is highly missed by his fans and followers in the current season of Shark Tank India. While the second season of the reality show is on air, in a recent podcast, Ashneer Grover revealed that he has unfollowed all the Sharks and also is not watching the second season. He spoke about all this and a lot more. Take a look:

I am giving importance to my health, I get longer hours to sleep, I am eating less junk, I am working out more. During Shark Tank India season one, when people saw me, I was the fattest. I realised later that I had put on a lot of weight. When I was making my company, I was stress-eating. I gave up on everything else. Then I went on TV, saw myself and thought this might be the camera. Then it hit me. Someone made a reel and wrote, “Mote wala shark”. I felt it was directed towards me. Even then I wasn’t motivated enough.

One video of a man in a mandir, who looked like me, went viral. The caption read, “Caught Ashneer Grover doing puja” and they tagged me. I looked at that guy and he had a paunch. Then I realised that people’s perception of me is such that they are calling any pot-bellied guy Ashneer Grover. Then it hit me hard. Then I decided to lose weight.

I am not going to watch Shark Tank India season 2. I feel separation should be clean. I actually unfollowed all the Sharks from social media. I felt that now it’s their game so let them play. I don’t want to see what’s happening on Shark Tank, all the behind the scenes video because it’s not a part of my life anymore. I have to do something else in life. I don’t want to live in the past. Once I was sure of the fact that I am not a part of season 2, I unfollowed everyone. I don’t even track. My wife follows, sometimes she reads also. I can give you log history, it doesn’t bother me.

It was great back then. I had great fun. Had a lot of masti in that season. Thankfully, it was received well. In some part, I feel like I was a part of creating a Rs 10,000 cr franchise. I see business as business. First season is the toughest season to crack. If it doesn’t work, the channel won’t give you a slot. I gave it. Whether I am at a loss or profit, that is not important. I was satisfied with making it work.

Both of us are Geminis but we are poles apart. My wife comes from a business family. I come from a service class family. We met at an event. We both were doing our MBA. I used to reach in the wrong batch, I think it was destiny. She was very fashion co-ordinated and I liked it. She was bad at remembering names. I used to sit beside her and once asked her out for lunch. She was shy. We had a common friend. She told her, “There’s one Ashnoor guy, who is after me. Do you know him?” My friend gave her my review, “He is not Ashnoor, he is Ashneer. He is ainvayi. Stay away from him.” But I was determined and she went out for lunch with me. That day I decided that I will get married to her.

It was very tough because you are not used to trolling. People would post my photos. People, who I don’t know, would give me gaalis. I would even reply to trolls. I didn’t know how to handle it. I would reply to them with logic not knowing that they needed their 2 mins of fame. Then I realised it is a never-ending thing.

I gossip a lot. I think Geminis are born gossipers. I can gossip about anything. The amount of conversation my wife and I do on films, people will be shocked. If there’s a party, we discuss who wore what and everything and anything under the sun.

I only watch Bollywood films. I don’t understand Hollywood films. I liked Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara, Dil Dhadakne Do. I can’t see poverty in films. I have Karan Johar type traits. I don’t want to see. If I have to see, I can see it on the roads. Show me opulence, grandeur. I like travelling and the way Zoya Akhtar captures it. I love it.

If you like Shark Tank India 2 better than the previous season then appreciate it. Don’t be judgemental without seeing it. I won’t watch it. I don’t have any grudges against it, I still feel it is a great format. I am busy with other things.