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Shark Tank India judge Anupam Mittal took a lighthearted jab at Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's controversial remark, "How long can you stare at your wife?", which ignited online outrage. Mr Mittal jokingly posted on X: "But sir, if husbands and wives don't look at each other, how will we remain the most populous country in the world?" Notably, SN Subrahmanyan sparked controversy after suggesting a 90-hour workweek and expressing his desire to make employees work on Sundays. In a video circulating online, he stated, "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I could, I would. I work on Sundays."
Mr Subrahmanyan then questioned what employees gained from taking time off at home. He said, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Get to the office and start working.”
Here is the tweet:
But sir, if husband and wife don't look at each other, how will we remain the most populous country in the world🤔
— Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) January 11, 2025
The video received a backlash from netizens on social media platforms with many users comparing it to Infosys founder Murthy's statement about working 70 hours a day. From Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone to Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group, top celebrities also condemned Mr Subrahmanyan's remarks. "90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to 'Sun-duty' and make 'day off' a mythical concept!" Mr Goenka posted on X.
Anand Mahindra also weighed in on the 90-hour workweek debate, suggesting that the focus should be on quality rather than quantity. He emphasised the importance of prioritising productivity and efficiency over lengthy work hours.
"I have huge respect for Narayana Murthy (founder of Infosys) and others. So let me not get this wrong, of course. But I have to say something, I think this debate is in the wrong direction. It's not about 48, 40 hours, it's not about 70 hours, it's not about 90 hours. What output are you doing even if it's 10 hours? You can change the world in 10 hours. My wife is wonderful, I love staring at her," reported news agency ANI, quoting Mr Mahindra.
Internet users also questioned why CEOs, who are highly paid and have different job pressures, expect the same level of commitment from lower-paid employees.