‘Those who make a lot of money…’: Emcure’s Namita Thapar challenges Narayana Murthy’s advice of a 70-hour work week

India’s work culture has got its own cage, and the gloves have been taken off. Shark Tank India stars Anupam Mittal and Namita Thapar engaged in a fiery exchange about the controversial 70-hour work week during an interview with Humans of Bombay.

Mittal described long working hours as a “big lie”, while Thapar criticized his words as “nonsense”. This clash has reignited a heated national debate about productivity, work-life balance, and the impact of hustle culture in India.

Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com, rejected the obsession with working long hours, calling it “a big lie told to this generation.” Reflecting on his early days working 16-hour shifts in the United States, Mittal saw that success stems from effort and strategy, not from time spent.

He cited his company’s hybrid model as evidence, claiming it increased productivity by 30%. “Work-life balance is destroying an entire generation,” he said, calling instead for “work-life harmony.” For Mittal, young professionals should push themselves in the early years of their career to build character and achieve extraordinary results.

Namita Thapar, CEO of pharmaceutical company Emcure, responded, calling Mittal’s argument “nonsense.” The reality for founders and employees is very different, Thapar insisted. “Founders like me have deep pockets and can afford to work around the clock, but employees can’t,” she said. She added that demanding continuous working hours from employees could lead to serious consequences for physical and mental health. Thapar explained that although she worked grueling hours to help take Emcure public, the employees did not share the same financial upside and should not be held to such expectations.

This discussion stems from the recent call by Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, for young people in India to adopt a 70-hour work week to boost productivity and competitiveness globally. While Mittal advocates pushing boundaries to achieve success, Thapar calls for realistic limits and highlights the human cost of overwork.