Shark Tank India 4: Aman Gupta cracks a joke; Anupam Mittal says 'you remind me of my 6-year-old daughter Alyssa, she cracks similar jokes'

The latest episode of Shark Tank India 4 featured an intriguing pitch by the founders of Kavi – The Poetry Project. Despite what their name might suggest, their venture focuses on crafting upcycled glassware from discarded liquor bottles, including those from brands like Old Monk and Bombay Sapphire. Highlighting the environmental impact, they emphasized that glass bottles take around 4,000 years to break down naturally. Their mission is to repurpose as many of these bottles as possible, transforming them into stylish homeware. Seeking an investment of Rs 60 lakh for a 1.5% Equity, they placed their company’s valuation at Rs 40 crore. To support their proposal, they shared that their business is on track to generate Rs 6 crore in revenue this year.
Founders Madhuri Balodi and Amit playfully requested the Sharks to send their empty glass bottles to their workshop for upcycling and customization. They even jokingly suggested that bottles could be sent through their website as well.
Hearing this, Aman Gupta quipped, "Inke paas hai Anupam ke paas bahot saare bottles padi hongi ghar par.." (Anupam must have a huge collection of empty bottles at home!) To which Anupam Mittal humorously responded, "Mere paas bhari hui hain, iske paas khali hain.." (Mine are still full, he has the empty ones!) The lighthearted exchange left everyone laughing.
The founders of Kavi – The Poetry Project have a background in journalism and initially launched their business with just Rs 10,000. Using their industry connections, they managed to gain entry into art exhibitions, which helped them grow. The founders presented each Shark a customised sample of their products. Aman reads a message from the gift, "Sustainability is a lifestyle not a trend" and he quickly makes a riddle on it. He asks, "What is the commonality between sustainability and business?" He answers, "You have to Plan-ET." Namita makes fun of his joke and asks Anupam, "Aapko hassi aayi?" Anupam says, "It reminded me of my six-year-old daughter Alyssa, she tells me jokes like that."
The founders shared that the brand's name originated from a previous version of the company that incorporated poetry, but since that concept didn't gain traction, they pivoted to focus on upcycled glassware. Despite the shift, they decided to keep the name. Anupam Mittal suggested they reconsider the name, as it doesn’t clearly convey their current business focus. The founders reveal that the source bottles come from a network of ragpickers. They have a network of 200 ragpickers.
Peyush Bansal questioned the founders about whether alcohol brands object to their bottles being repurposed, especially when people use them to drink something as unexpected as milk. He asks, "Brand ko koi problem nahi hui ke ye bottle jismein koi aur cheez honi chahiye thi, usmein ab milk peeya jaa raha hai. Woh aaye nahi aapke paas?"
Madhuri responded by sharing that, rather than objecting, several brands actually reached out to them and expressed their support for the initiative.
Anupam questioned why they were seeking investment, given that they were already profitable and running smoothly. The founders explained that they were looking to expand internationally, particularly into markets where the demand for sustainable gifting products is higher. He asks, "Aap humko exit kaise dogey? Madhuri jokes that the Sharks should sometime not focus on money.
Ritesh Agarwal was the first to step out, citing concerns about the brand’s positioning and direction. However, he didn’t leave empty-handed—he extended his support by placing an order for 100 customized lamps for his hotels, promising to buy more if they performed well. He also offered to meet with the founders outside the show and provide guidance.
Anupam Mittal took a moment to appreciate Madhuri’s cheerful and lively personality. In a playful response, Madhuri urged him to invest in their company, promising to spread happiness in return. Anupam, however, jokingly declined, saying, "That’s exactly why I don’t want to invest—otherwise, both you and I will end up crying!"
Namita also backs out because she feels there is a lack of clarity in their business while Peyush gives them a suggestion of hiring specially abled people. He also offers to help them and meet them outside. Aman also praises them and asks them to think big. He also suggest them to change the name of their product. Madhuri and Amit both leave without securing any deal.