Exclusive: From having to shut down his business to being a part of the reality show; Shark Tank India 4’s Viraj Bahl on his journey

From shutting down his business to joining Shark Tank India 4, Viraj Bahl shares his inspiring journey. The 4th season of the entrepreneurial reality show, which premiered on January 6, 2025, introduces Bahl, the Founder and Managing Director of Veeba (VRB Consumer Products), as the newest Shark. In an exclusive interview with Times of India TV, Bahl opens up about his experiences and challenges.

I mean it's a privilege being here on Shark Tank but along with the privilege, it's a huge responsibility as well because they are youngsters watching and so being on Shark Tank India is a huge privilege and responsibility and obviously having fun along the way.

Of course, I had seen Shark Tank India. I would also feel like coming to the show as a pitcher but it didn’t happen. During a pitch, there’s more action but I mean it's amazing being a Shark and as I said it’s a privilege and responsibility.

Kunal in real life is a Shark. He has already invested in close to 300 companies. So he has just come to the show now but he is a Shark in real life.

We are not first cousins. We just share the same surname. We are very, very very close friends, friends like family. But we are not family. We are not first cousins but we are closer than most cousins.

I think this is very honestly cerebral entertainment. It is not really a reality show, it is an intelligent show and I think if you have a kid at home with due respect to saas-bahu shows, and Shark Tank India is going on, I would almost definitely say that you would want them to watch Shark Tank India. At the end of the day, it is a show, which is meant to entertain, but it is intelligent entertainment.

Very honestly, it was a bit scary at first. I had a very candid and open discussion with my wife Ridhima about how the OG Sharks’ lives are in the limelight. They should always be more popular than us and at some level, I have also been a fan of them. But I think, joining Shark Tank in my case was a family decision. Me and my wife actually spoke about it that will come in public, I mean a little bit more attention on the family, the children especially and after giving it thought we kind of said, let's do this. It's a beautiful platform to be on and it was a joint decision.

I mean I can write a book on my failed businesses. I have been a failed restaurateur, I had to shut the entire business and wrap it down. Very tough times but God was really kind of me. At the time when my business was shutting down, I did not know God had better plans for me. Had my business not shut down, I wouldn’t have started my brand and neither would we have become one of India's largest sauce companies. So I think failure is a part of life. It is so difficult. Failure is one of your best teachers. I have been on the side of failing and shutting a business. It is the most difficult thing to do, but also as a human being, you need to accept that this is part of life and life happens and you have to move on from it and you just hope that the next thing you're successful or reasonably successful towards.