In 2011, Shubham Gupta’s world collapsed. His father’s business went bankrupt, wiping out the family’s finances and stability. At an age when most kids his age were focused on school and cricket, Shubham watched his family struggle to survive. The comfortable middle-class life disappeared overnight.
But instead of being crushed by the bankruptcy, Shubham became obsessed with one idea: he would build a brand of his own. He didn’t know what kind of brand, or how he’d do it, but he was certain he wouldn’t work a 9-to-5 job or join someone else’s business. The only question was how.
Shubham dropped out of junior college—a decision his family initially opposed—and joined his father’s manufacturing factory to learn the clothing business from the ground up. For 11 years, he absorbed everything: supply chains, fabric sourcing, quality control, production costs, customer preferences. He worked unglamorous factory jobs, getting his hands dirty, making mistakes, and learning what actually worked.
Then came 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdown. The world stopped. Businesses shut down. But Shubham saw opportunity where others saw catastrophe. Stuck at home with e-commerce exploding and young Indians craving self-expression through fashion, he launched Bonkers Corner—a streetwear brand for Gen Z built on comfort, identity, and bold designs inspired by pop culture, music, and art.
The challenge was brutal. India’s fashion market was crowded with established players and cheap knockoffs. Streetwear was still a niche category. Shubham was bootstrapped—every rupee came from his own savings or was reinvested from early sales. He had no investors, no brand recognition, and was competing against companies with massive marketing budgets. Most startups fail. Shubham decided he wouldn’t be one of them.
The Turning Point
Bonkers Corner launched in 2020 with a team of five people working out of a small warehouse. Shubham’s strategy was simple but disciplined: create products Gen Z actually wanted, price them affordably without compromising quality, and build the brand through authentic storytelling and influencer partnerships.
The breakthrough came through social media and strategic influencer collaborations. Bonkers Corner partnered with celebrities like cricketer KL Rahul, actresses Palak Tiwari and Rakul Preet Singh, and influencers like Shiv Thakare, Manav Chhabra, and Ahsaas Channa. These weren’t just paid endorsements—Shubham carefully mapped influencers by their reach, engagement, and alignment with the brand’s vibe.
The brand’s product design became its signature. While competitors chased trends, Bonkers Corner created its own aesthetic—eclectic designs blending nostalgia with modern streetwear, pop culture references, bold graphics, and unisex appeal. The clothes felt authentic to Gen Z because they were designed by someone who understood that generation’s desire for self-expression and affordability.
Revenue exploded. Within months, Bonkers Corner was generating crores in sales. Shubham reinvested every rupee into new collections, product development, and expanding the team. By 2021, the bootstrapped brand had grown from five employees to over 500. The company expanded from online-only to opening physical stores in Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Guwahati, Indore, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru.
Then came the ultimate validation: Shark Tank India Season 5. In Episode 19, Shubham walked into the Tank asking for ₹1.5 crore for 0.5% equity, valuing Bonkers Corner at ₹300 crore. The Sharks were skeptical. A ₹300 crore valuation? For a streetwear brand? Most pitches at that valuation get torn apart.
But Shubham came prepared. He didn’t lead with emotion—he led with numbers. He broke down D2C strategy, profit margins, revenue drivers, online versus offline split, growth trajectory, and customer retention. When the Sharks drilled into fundamentals, Shubham answered immediately and logically. He shared his backstory—the bankruptcy, the rebuild—not for sympathy, but to demonstrate resilience and clarity of purpose.
As he later said: “Mujhse zyada mera profit bolta hai” (My profits speak louder than me).
Namita Thapar was convinced. She matched his ask exactly—₹1.5 crore for 0.5% equity. She later called Bonkers Corner her most meaningful deal of the season, citing Shubham’s resilience and the brand’s rare combination of strong financials and authentic storytelling.
The Strategy
Shubham’s success came from disciplined execution and an obsessive focus on fundamentals.
Learn the Business Inside-Out First
Shubham spent 11 years in the clothing industry before launching Bonkers Corner. He learned manufacturing, supply chains, white labeling, and customer preferences through hands-on experience. This deep operational knowledge gave him an edge over founders who jump into fashion without understanding production.
Bootstrap to Maintain Control
For years, Bonkers Corner was entirely self-funded. Shubham invested his own savings and reinvested every rupee of revenue. This discipline kept the company lean, focused, and free from investor pressure to prioritize growth over profitability. When he finally raised funding on Shark Tank, he did it from a position of strength—not desperation.
Product Design + Quality = Competitive Moat
Bonkers Corner’s core USP is exceptional product design combined with quality at affordable prices. The brand doesn’t compromise on fabric or construction, but keeps prices accessible through vertical integration and efficient operations. Every product is designed to be ‘value for money’—not cheap, but worth every rupee.
Influencer Marketing Done Right
Instead of scattershot influencer campaigns, Shubham mapped influencers strategically by reach, engagement, and brand alignment. He worked with celebrities and micro-influencers who genuinely connected with Gen Z audiences. This created authentic buzz rather than paid promotion that feels fake.
Omnichannel from the Start
While many D2C brands stay online-only, Bonkers Corner expanded to physical retail early, opening stores in nine locations. This omnichannel approach lets customers experience the brand in person while maintaining the convenience of e-commerce. Each channel reinforces the other.
Work Is Worship Philosophy
Shubham doesn’t believe in work-life balance. His quote: “My work is my life. For me, work is worship—and Bonkers is everything I want to build, grow and live for.” He wakes up early, plans obsessively, and stays laser-focused on driving the brand forward. This intensity created a culture where the team is equally committed to the mission.
The Results
Today, Bonkers Corner is valued at ₹300 crore with stores in nine Indian cities and a team of 500+ employees. The brand serves thousands of pin codes across India, delivering streetwear that Gen Z loves.
The company closed its last fiscal year with substantial revenue, maintaining profitability while scaling aggressively—a rare achievement in D2C fashion. Bonkers Corner operates 60% of its business from Tier II cities and beyond, proving that Indian youth culture extends far beyond metros.
Shubham’s Shark Tank deal brought ₹1.5 crore in funding and invaluable mentorship from Namita Thapar. But more importantly, it validated Bonkers Corner on national television, introducing the brand to millions of viewers and creating a marketing moment money can’t buy.
The brand has collaborated with Disney to launch licensed apparel and partnered with major influencers and celebrities. It’s become Gen Z’s go-to streetwear brand, competing directly with international labels while staying authentically Indian.
Shubham’s vision for Bonkers Corner is global domination: “Make Bonkers a global streetwear leader. Create an ecosystem celebrating Indian youth culture worldwide. Build something that lasts beyond me.”
