Shark Tank India 3 Pitcher Pathik Patel Sends Legal Notice to Sony TV, Claims Show Caused 10x Losses

Entrepreneur Pathik Patel claims over 70 brands face similar challenges due to Sony TV’s alleged breach of contractual obligations.

June 26, 2024

Sony Entertainment Television’s Shark Tank India, which began in 2021 as a platform for entrepreneurs to reach a wider audience, has encountered significant controversy in its three-season run. The latest issue involves Pathik Patel, founder of the nutritional food brand Fit & Flex, who has accused the channel of causing substantial financial losses and failing to honor its contractual obligations.

Pathik Patel recently sent a legal notice to Sony TV, citing that he experienced a tenfold increase in losses following his appearance on the show. He claims that over 70 other brands are facing similar challenges. Patel’s grievances include unjust targeting for trademark violations and the suspension of his brand’s ad account without prior notice.

In a LinkedIn post, Patel detailed his ordeal, stating, “It has been 50 days of zero D2C business, and all we hear is ‘We won’t do anything.’

Our joy of being featured on national television turned into a nightmare.” Patel noted that Sony Entertainment Television had flagged their social media posts for trademark violations, blocked their ad account, unpublished their Facebook page, and disabled collaboration features on their brand’s accounts. This action occurred within 25 days of their episode airing, despite the guidelines allowing the use of marketing materials for three months.

Patel has been in continuous communication with both Meta and Sony, seeking a resolution but has received no response. He emphasized, “We don’t want to use any clips for marketing; we just want our original accounts back. All we want is someone from the Sony Team to talk to us and help solve this amicably.”

He further expressed his frustration, stating, “More than 70 brands are facing these challenges. The Shark Tank experience, which promised up to 7x growth, has resulted in a 10-12x downfall in our business.”

Patel, who did not secure a deal on the show, previously described his experience as daunting. He faced intense scrutiny from sharks Deepinder Goyal and Anupam Mittal, and was disappointed with the limited 15-minute segment that aired. 

In another LinkedIn post, he said, “A 15-minute edited video can only showcase so much. I will use my platforms to debunk some popular myths. As an athlete and health-conscious foodie, I have always been true to my brand ethos and will not let a 15-minute clip overshadow five years of hard work.”