Ronnie Screwvala became the richest man in Bollywood, surpassing some of the biggest stars. Read to know about the business tycoon's journey from being a toothbrush seller to a massive success.
Rohinton Soli Screwvala, also known as Ronnie, is an entrepreneur, investor and film producer. The man has been one of the most influential men in the world and recently became the richest person in Bollywood. However, his journey to the top was anything but a cakewalk, but those are the stories that actually turn inspirational to many.
Ronnie was born into a Parsi family in Mumbai. The businessman pioneered cable televisions, bringing a whole new method of entertainment to the country. He has since created several businesses opening several doors for the generations to come.
Ronnie Swrewvala began his entrepreneurial journey with a toothbrush manufacturing business. However, things changed in 1981 when he introduced cabel TV in India. At the time, the only channel that was available was Doordarshan, who grew the network to several cities and hotel chains across the country. He also hosted a quiz show in 1985 called Mashoor Mahal with the channel.
This helped Ronnie build his confidence and start his first studio, United Television (UTV), in 1990, which changed the face of Bollywood and Indian media. The company helped him grow into a large firm, incorporating several other companies in 2005. However, Disney gradually captured a substantial stake in his company, and in 2012, Ronnie divested the whole company to them for 1.4 billion USD.
A huge cheque wasn't the only thing Ronni Scewvala earned from UTV; he found the love of his life, Zarina Mehta, during the run as well. The two founded the company together, and Zarina plays a pivotal role in Ronnie's other businesses. They live in a beautiful home in Breach Candy. However, Zarina was not his first wife; the media tycoon's first wife was Manjula Nanavati. At the same time, not much is known about her, but they share a daughter, Trishya Screwvala, who runs her own non-profit organisation, The Lighthouse Project.
Ronnie Screwvala was not yet prepared to give up on his journey as an entrepreneur. After selling his company UTV to Disney, he built several businesses. He co-founded UpGrad, which is considered one of the largest online education companies in India. The firm gave pace learning a new meaning and made higher education and specialisation available to everyone at the click of a button. The firm has tie-ups with several colleges to provide authentic and easily accessible education across the country.
Ronnie also co-founded USports, which focuses on Indian and Asian sports, including Kabaddi. The firm also supports E-Sports and Football under the brand U Dreams. The focus of the firm is to train and manage talented sportspersons and manage their career in India and on International platforms. Another business owned by Ronnie is RSVP Movies; this was his re-entry into the media and entertainment industry, with a focus on screenplays and scripts.
He also runs a non-profit with his wife, Zarina, The Swadesh Foundation, with the goal of fighting poverty in over two thousand villages in Maharashtra. These businesses combined earned Ronnie a massive net worth. According to a report by Forbes 2025 Billionaires List, the entrepreneur has a net worth of 1.5 billion US Dollars, surpassing the combined wealth of the 'Three Khans', Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir.
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