India's work culture has got its own cage match and the gloves are off. Shark Tank India protagonists Anupam Mittal and Namita Thapar had a fiery exchange over the controversial 70-hour work week in an interview with Humans of Bombay.
Mittal called the long working hours a “big lie” and Thapar slammed his statement as “bullsh*t”. The clash has reignited a heated national debate on productivity, work-life balance and the toll of India's rush culture.
Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com, dismissed the obsession with long hours as “a big lie told to this generation”. Reflecting on his early days working 16-hour shifts in the United States, Mittal argued that success stems from effort and strategy, not from putting in the time.
He cited his company's hybrid model as proof, claiming it increased productivity by 30%. “Work-life balance is destroying an entire generation,” he declared, advocating instead “work-life harmony.” For Mittal, young professionals need to push themselves in the early years of their careers to build character and achieve extraordinary results.
Emcure Pharmaceuticals CEO Namita Thapar hit back, labeling Mittal's argument as “bullshit”. Thapar emphasized that the reality for startups and employees is fundamentally different. “Startups like me have significant financial stakes and can work around the clock, but employees can't,” she said. Requiring employees to work non-stop hours can lead to severe physical and mental health consequences, she said. While she worked long hours to help take Emcure public, Thapar explained that employees don't have the same financial upside and shouldn't be held to such expectations.
The debate stems from Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's recent call for India's youth to adopt a 70-hour work week to boost productivity and compete globally. While Mittal champions the idea of pushing the limits for success, Thapar argues for realistic limits, highlighting the human cost of overwork.