Not just Alia Bhatt and other celebs' nutritionist. Dr Siddhant Bhargava is a survivor of cancer, autoimmune disease and a Shark Tank winner

Economic Times

06-08-2025

Synopsis
Dr Siddhant Bhargava, known for being a celebrity nutritionist to stars like Alia Bhatt, shared his powerful personal journey on Shark Tank India Season 4. Diagnosed with lupus at 20 and later stage 2 thyroid cancer, he was forced to leave clinical medicine and instead turned to entrepreneurship. He co-founded Food Darzee and later InnerGize, a stress-relief device startup. Earlier this year, he secured a deal on Shark Tank after impressing the judges with both his product and resilience.
Alia Bhatt's Nutritionist Dr Siddhant Bhargava Survived Battle With Cancer and Autoimmune Disease Dr Siddhant Bhargava, best known as the nutritionist to Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, and Sara Ali Khan, is not just a name in celebrity wellness circles. Earlier this year, he made waves with a powerful pitch on Shark Tank India Season 4, but it was his story of personal survival and transformation that left a lasting impression.
Behind the public image of a successful entrepreneur lies a deeply personal struggle — one that includes battling a rare autoimmune disease, surviving cancer, and redefining his professional identity.
Bhargava completed his MBBS from Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai with plans of becoming a practicing doctor. However, at the age of 20, his path took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with lupus, a serious autoimmune condition. The illness led to widespread inflammation in his body, hair loss, severe skin issues, and liver and kidney complications. He also experienced costochondritis, which made breathing painful. Due to his compromised immune system, he was placed on high doses of steroids — up to 1500 mg — and was vulnerable to infections.The physical toll was significant, but the psychological impact was just as intense. He shared during Shark Tank India Season 4 that during this phase, a child at a train station asked, 'What is that?' instead of 'Who is that?', highlighting how much the disease had changed his appearance.Despite this, Bhargava didn't give up. He shifted focus from clinical medicine to nutrition and co-founded Food Darzee, a personalised meal planning and delivery service that quickly became popular with celebrities and fitness enthusiasts.Bhargava's journey took another sharp turn when, four years ago, he was diagnosed with Stage 2 thyroid cancer. It was an inoperable case. Yet again, he found himself battling a life-threatening illness, but he remained determined to build something meaningful out of his experiences.That purpose translated into InnerGize, a wellness brand he co-founded with Shalmali Kadu and Mitansh Khurana. The idea emerged from a shared desire to address stress-related health issues in a non-invasive and science-backed way.In their Shark Tank India appearance earlier this year, the InnerGize team pitched their stress-relief device and asked for Rs 54 lakh in exchange for 1.5% equity. Bhargava gave a live demonstration of the device, explaining how it helps users relax and reduce stress levels. The product was well-received by the judges, with multiple sharks complimenting its design and packaging.While Vineeta Singh and Kunal Bahl opted out, citing product uncertainties, Ritesh Agarwal immediately matched the pitch. Aman Gupta offered Rs 54 lakh for 2.5% equity and proposed bringing Namita Thapar into the deal. Eventually, Aman, Azhar Iqubal, and Ritesh came together to make a final offer: Rs 1 crore for 4.2% equity — a deal the team accepted.