India’s most popular business reality show, Shark Tank India, is back with its fifth season, and excitement is sky-high. This time, the panel is bigger than ever, featuring nearly 15 Sharks, including Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, Piyush Bansal, Vineeta Singh, and Anupam Mittal.

Whenever a celebrity appears on television, questions about fees naturally arise. Many believe that Shark Tank judges charge hefty amounts per episode—but the reality is completely different.

Sharks do not get paid any fees

Contrary to widespread rumours, Shark Tank India judges do not receive any appearance fees. In fact, the surprising truth is that the Sharks actually put their own money into the show.

This was openly revealed by former Shark Ashneer Grover, who addressed the issue back in 2022.

Ashneer Grover revealed the truth

While speaking at a university lecture, Ashneer Grover clarified that he was not paid a single rupee for appearing on the show.

He said:

“We were not paid for any episode. The idea was simple—they knew we had money and ran large startups. We were told to be ready to invest around ₹10 crore per episode, and we agreed.”

This statement busted the myth that Sharks earn lakhs or crores per episode.

So why do Sharks agree to the show?

Ashneer further explained that although the Sharks don’t get paid, the show offers huge brand value.

• Sharks’ companies get free brand visibility

• Each episode effectively gives them 30–40 seconds of advertising

• Their brands are repeatedly mentioned and discussed

• The exposure helps build trust, reach, and recall among millions of viewers

In short, while the Sharks invest money instead of earning fees, the marketing and brand growth they receive in return makes it a win-win situation.

Bottom line

Judges on Shark Tank India don’t charge fees like typical TV celebrities. Instead, they participate on one clear condition:

• They invest real money

• They gain massive brand exposure