New Delhi: Ronnie Screwvala, a titan in both entrepreneurship and film production, boasting a formidable net worth of Rs 12,800 crore, joins the esteemed roster of sharks for Season 3 of Shark Tank India.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

This latest season introduces six new sharks, including prominent figures like Ritesh Agarwal, Radhika Gupta, Varun Dua, Deepinder Goyal, Azhar Iqubal, and Ronnie Screwvala, alongside the existing panel comprising Vineeta Singh, Namita Thapar, Anupam Mittal, Peyush Bansal, Amit Jain, and Aman Gupta.


In this piece, we delve into Ronnie Screwvala’s illustrious career trajectory, spotlighting his significant impact on the entertainment industry, his philanthropic endeavors, and his remarkable journey as an entrepreneur.


Acknowledged as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009, Screwvala's evolution from founding a toothbrush manufacturing company in the 1980s to spearheading successful ventures in education and film production has culminated in an empire valued at approximately Rs 12,800 crore.


Ronnie Screwvala’s educational background traces back to Mumbai, where he attended Sydenham College following his schooling at Cathedral and John Connon School. His early affinity for theatre propelled him into the Bombay theatre scene, where he undertook notable roles in professional productions such as Shakespeare’s Othello and Death of a Salesman.


Embarking on his entrepreneurial journey in the early '80s with Lazer Brushes, a toothbrush manufacturing venture, Screwvala soon diversified his portfolio by establishing his cable television company, Network, in 1981. Pioneering the installation of video machines in high-rise basements, including prominent locations like Maker Towers in Cuffe Parade, marked his early foray into the entertainment industry.


After accruing considerable success, Screwvala founded his TV production house, UTV, in 1990, with a modest initial investment of Rs 37,500. Under his stewardship, UTV evolved into a media behemoth, encompassing the esteemed film production studio UTV Motion Pictures.


The cinematic offerings produced under his banner, such as Swades, Rang De Basanti, Haider, and Barfi, garnered critical acclaim and commercial success. The acquisition of UTV by Walt Disney in 2012 for $454 million (approximately Rs 3,769 crore) marked a significant milestone in Screwvala's career trajectory.


Following the sale, Ronnie Screwvala embarked on a new cinematic odyssey with the establishment of RSVP Movies, presenting audiences with memorable works like The Sky Is Pink, Sonchiriya, Raat Akeli Hai, and Karwaan. Concurrently, he assumed a pivotal role as a judge on Shark Tank India, further diversifying his entrepreneurial endeavors.


In 2015, Screwvala co-founded UpGrad, an Edtech powerhouse. The acquisition of Harappa Education in 2022 for Rs 300 crore, with a valuation of $2.25 billion (approximately Rs 18,685 crore), underscored UpGrad's meteoric rise in the educational landscape. In addition to UpGrad, Screwvala oversees Unilazer Ventures, a private equity firm fostering innovation through investments in various startups. Moreover, his collaboration with Supratik Sen in 2014 birthed USports, focusing on Kabaddi, E-Sports, and Football.


Committed to philanthropy, Ronnie Screwvala and his wife, Zarina Mehta, helm The Swades Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering marginalized communities by providing livelihood opportunities and addressing fundamental needs such as clean water, sanitation, and education. Inspired by the film Swades (2004), produced by Screwvala, the foundation epitomizes his ethos of leveraging cinematic narratives for social impact