Aman Gupta's Strategic Investment with a Personal Condition on Shark Tank India
In a fascinating turn of events on Shark Tank India Season 5, renowned investor Aman Gupta made a substantial investment while setting an unusual personal condition that captured everyone's attention. The episode featured a pitch from Awayddings, a budget-friendly destination wedding brand founded by Ashish Godghate from Pune and Vijay Kumar from Goa, who sought Rs 2 crores for 5% equity, valuing their company at Rs 40 crores.
The Pitch and Initial Reactions
The founders entered the tank with vibrant energy, but the sharks quickly identified operational challenges in their "op-heavy" business model. During their presentation, they revealed that both founders draw a salary of Rs 1.5 lakh each and shared details about their financial journey. In 2023, Kesari Tours had invested Rs 1.23 crores for 50% equity, which later got restructured to 75-25 after pushback from other investors.
Anupam Mittal expressed concern about this equity arrangement, noting that "Paise ke saath saath unhone identity bhi leli" (They took away your identity along with the money). The founders reported revenues of Rs 1.95 crores in 2024-25 with 10-12% EBITDA and projected Rs 3.6 crores for 2025-26, though they acknowledged challenges like payment issues and canceled weddings.
Sharks Express Reservations About Scalability
Most sharks expressed skepticism about the business's scalability. Kunal Bahl highlighted the complexity of expanding city by city, calling it "10x" more difficult than it appears. Namita Thapar pointed out the operational challenges of managing multiple weddings simultaneously across different locations, while Mohit Yadav noted the category was interesting but too early for investment.
Anupam Mittal shared insights from his experience with Shaadi.com, revealing they had considered adding wedding services but found scalability problematic. He referenced OYO's exit from Weddingz.in, calling it a "thankless job" that's difficult to standardize, where one party does the hard work while another takes the profit.
Aman Gupta's Conditional Offer and Past Experiences
As other sharks opted out, Aman Gupta recalled his previous experiences with similar businesses. He shared an anecdote about a deal from earlier seasons where he received complaints about minor issues like missing towels or runaway maids. This led to his firm condition: "Mera naam nahi aana chahiye isme" (My name shouldn't come up in this).
Gupta emphasized that he didn't want to receive WhatsApp messages about operational problems, stating clearly: "Mera business main naam nahi aaega" (My name will not feature in the business). Despite these reservations, he recognized the consumer appeal and made an offer of Rs 1 crore for 10% equity plus Rs 1 crore debt at 10% interest for two years.
The Celebration and Final Thoughts
When the founders accepted his offer, Aman Gupta celebrated with characteristic enthusiasm, dancing to dhol beats and declaring "Hum shaadi mein drones ke saath jaaenge" (We'll go to weddings with drones). Namita Thapar humorously remarked "Begaani shaadi mein Aman deewana" (Aman is crazy about someone else's wedding), capturing the festive mood.
This deal highlights Aman Gupta's unique investment approach—combining business acumen with personal boundaries. While recognizing the potential in Awayddings' affordable destination wedding concept, he protected himself from the operational headaches that plagued his previous ventures in similar spaces. The episode demonstrates how successful investors balance opportunity with practical considerations, even when it means keeping their name out of the business they're funding.
