THE BAR BULLETIN – The Bombay High Court ordered the operators of getshaadi.com to stop using the domain, finding that they were running a matrimonial website that deliberately copied Shaadi.com’s name and branding. The court ruled this amounted to trademark infringement and passing off, ordered the domain to be taken down, and awarded ₹25 lakh ($28K) in costs to Shaadi.com’s owner.
VOCAL MEDIA – Shaadi.com has begun early discussions with investment bankers about a potential IPO, a move that could significantly boost founder Anupam Mittal’s net worth. The company, a long-time leader in India’s online matchmaking market, is exploring valuation targets and market timing but has not yet appointed advisors. If Shaadi.com lists at an estimated valuation of ~₹2,500 crore (~$300 million), Mittal’s stake could rise sharply from his current estimated net worth of ₹185 crore ($22M). A public listing would increase the value and liquidity of his holdings but also expose his wealth to market volatility. The talks are still preliminary.
BLOOMBERG – Shaadi.com’s parent company, People Interactive, is quietly preparing for an IPO. Anupam Mittal, its founder and a familiar face from Shark Tank India, has begun early talks with investment bankers, though nothing formal has been appointed yet. If this moves forward, Shaadi.com would join Matrimony.com, which listed in 2017. Shaadi.com remains one of India’s biggest and oldest digital matchmaking platforms, competing with Matrimony.com and Info Edge’s Jeevansathi. For now, the company has not commented, and the discussions remain early and private, but the intent to explore a listing is clearly on the table.
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LINKEDIN – Shaadi.com partnered with Bata India on a witty campaign built around the concept of “pairs.” The ad reads, “We have a pair for you BATA!” alongside Bata shoes, and “We have a pair for you BETA!” from Shaadi.com, with Beta meaning son or daughter in Hindi. The wordplay connects Bata’s promise of shoe pairs with Shaadi.com’s promise of finding a life partner for one’s child.
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ECONOMIC TIMES – Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and People Group and an investor on Shark Tank India, reached his breakthrough after several failed ventures. He became a millionaire at 25, lost it soon after, and was laid off in the 2001 dot-com crash, a period he called a “free fall.” A conversation with a priest about the limits of traditional matchmaking led him to build an online alternative; his first site, Sagai.com, did not take off, but a rebrand to Shaadi.com did. By 2005, subscription revenue had surpassed the company’s total investment. He has since disclosed a best year of Rs 50 crore ($5.6M) in income. His career shows the value of taking action, bouncing back from setbacks, and moving decisively when an opportunity appears.
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STARDUPPEDIA – The Supreme Court of India has stayed criminal proceedings against Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal, following a complaint by a Hyderabad woman who was defrauded by a man using a fake profile on the platform. The man, posing as a groom, allegedly scammed her out of ₹10 lakh ($12K) and later threatened her. Mittal was added as an accused during the investigation of Shaadi.com's alleged failure to verify the scammer's identity, especially since it offers paid services. Mittal's legal team argued the fraudster verified his account only via mobile OTP, and that the victim chose to interact and send money outside the app. The Supreme Court has paused the investigation and requested a response from Telangana Police.
by Ishita Ganguly
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THE WALRUS – India has ~1,500 matrimony platforms, a market worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Betterhalf.ai, launched in 2016, competes with Shaadi.com, Jeevansathi, and Matrimony.com by using AI for matchmaking without parental involvement. Traditional arranged marriages still dominate, with 90% of Indian marriages arranged, and on Shaadi.com, 40–50% of profiles are managed by parents. Matrimony.com, India’s largest publicly listed matrimony platform, had a market value of ~$16M and annual revenue of $57M, 850K subscribers, and ~100K successful matches as of 2021. Betterhalf.ai, founded by MIT graduates Gupta and Namdev, has 1M monthly users and a 30% paid subscriber retention rate, outperforming Bumble, Hinge, and Tinder (10% retention). In March 2023, it raised $8.5M from investors, including Instagram and Dropbox co-founders. The company plans to evolve into a “marriage super app,” offering wedding services, pregnancy support, and more.
by Mihika Agarwal
See full article at The Walrus
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FINANCIAL EXPRESS – Shaadi.com has launched an ad campaign for its new exclusive matchmaking service, VIP Shaadi.com. The campaign, featuring actor Ronit Roy, includes TV and digital ads highlighting the benefits of the premium service. VIP Shaadi.com offers personalized matchmaking by handpicking profiles based on lifestyle, values, and familial environment.