Cinefai Studios entered the Shark Tank with a simple idea: storytelling doesn’t need big sets or long production cycles anymore, it can be powered by AI. That clarity helped the Gen-AI content studio walk away with a ₹1 crore deal from Ritesh Agarwal, sealing the pitch at a ₹10 crore valuation.
Founded in March 2025, Cinefai Studios positions itself as an AI-first filmmaking studio, creating end-to-end content with a sharp focus on vertical microdramas, short, episodic stories built for mobile viewing.
The startup is backed by founders Shivam Sharma and Akanksha Dubey, while the pitch on the show was led by Ritesh, who laid out the company’s journey and numbers in front of the sharks.
During the pitch, the founders shared that Cinefai has already worked with 17 brands and operates with a lean four-member team. The studio has generated ₹50 lakh in lifetime revenue, with the past three months averaging ₹10 lakh per month.
Looking ahead, the team projected monthly revenues of ₹80 lakh to ₹1 crore by FY27. While the business has been bootstrapped so far, the sharks did flag one concern, around 60% of revenue currently comes from just two audio storytelling platforms.
The ask was straightforward: ₹1 crore for 5% equity, valuing the company at ₹20 crore. Negotiations followed, and Ritesh Agarwal came in with a structured offer, ₹50 lakh for 5% equity along with ₹50 lakh as debt at 9% interest over five years. The founders agreed, closing the deal at a ₹10 crore valuation.
Behind the scenes, Cinefai relies on open-source AI tools and a custom-built storyboarding agent, allowing it to produce content at ₹8,000–₹9,000 per minute. So far, the team has delivered close to 10 hours of content. They also spoke about their earlier startup, Moviepedia, launched in 2014, highlighting a long-standing interest in blending content with technology.
With a Shark Tank India deal now in place, Cinefai Studios is looking to tighten its IP strategy, diversify revenue streams, and scale its AI-driven storytelling across more platforms and brands, this time with a shark backing the journey.
