‘Those who make tons of money…’: Emcure’s Namita Thapar challenges Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour workweek advice

India’s work culture just got its own cage and the gloves are off Shark Tank India stars Anupam Mittal and Namita Thapar locked horns over the controversial 70-hour work week in an interview with Humans of Bombay.

Mittal called long working hours a “big lie” while Thapar slammed his perception as “a pile of bull.” The clash reignited a heated national debate about productivity, work-life balance and the culture of hustle in India.

Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal debunked the obsession with long hours, calling it “a big lie being told to this generation.” Reflecting on his early days working 16-hour shifts in the US, Mittal insisted that success comes from effort and strategy rather than time spent.

As proof, he cited his company’s hybrid model, 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 must push themselves in the early years of their careers to build their character and achieve extraordinary results.

Namita Thapar, CEO of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, fired back, labeling Mittal’s argument as “a shambles.” Thapar argued that the reality of founders and employees is fundamentally different. “Founders like me have significant financial stakes and can afford to work around the clock,” he said, adding that requiring employees to work nonstop can have severe physical and mental health consequences although he worked hard hours to help take Emcure public, employees do not share the same financial upside and should not 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. :