From Toothbrushes To Rs 12,800 Crore Net Worth, Meet Shark Tank India Judge Ronnie Screwvala
The newest season of Shark Tank India is running successfully and many new sharks have made their much-anticipated debuts. In the past two seasons, the panel was represented by Vineeta Singh, Namita Thapar, Anupam Mittal, Peyush Bansal, Amit Jain, and Aman Gupta.
However, Shark Tank India season 3 became much bigger with the addition of six new sharks.
Ritesh Agarwal(OYO), Radhika Gupta(Edelweiss), Varun Dua(Acko), Deepinder Goyal(Zomato), Azhar Iqubal(InShorts), and Ronnie Screwvala are the new faces and all of them have left a lasting impression. Varun Dua is the only shark who is yet to feature in an episode.
The recent one to make a debut is Ronnie Screwvala. Many already know him as a prominent figure of the entertainment industry. However, he is not only a celebrated film producer but also a successful entrepreneur.
For the unversed, Screwvala featured in TIME magazine¡¯s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009.
Having started a toothbrush manufacturing company in the 1980s, Ronnie Screwvala has gone on to create a substantial empire, currently valued at approximately Rs 12,800 crore. This empire encompasses a flourishing education company and a thriving film production house.
Here¡¯s taking a look at his impressive journey.
Early Life Of Ronnie Screwvala
Hailing from Mumbai, Ronnie Screwvala pursued his higher education at Sydenham College following his schooling at Cathedral and John Connon School. His father was involved in the film distribution business, fostering in Ronnie a deep-seated passion for entertainment and media from a very young age.
Displaying an early passion for acting, he actively participated in the Bombay theatre scene, taking on significant roles in professional plays like Shakespeare's Othello and Death of a Salesman.
Setting Up His Toothbrush Company And Venturing Into The Entertainment Industry
During the early '80s, Ronnie Screwvala embarked on his entrepreneurial venture with Lazer Brushes, a company specializing in toothbrush manufacturing. Subsequently, in 1981, he established his cable television company, Network, which entailed installing video machines in the basements of high-rise buildings, including prominent locations like Maker Towers in the Cuffe Parade.He then went on to establish his own television production house UTV in 1990. Interestingly, he did so with an investment of just Rs 37,500.?
With hard work and determination to thrive, he transformed this company into a huge media conglomerate, encompassing a film production studio, UTV Motion Pictures.?
Under his production banner, he successfully produced notable films including Swades, Rang De Basanti, Haider, Barfi!, and many others.
Goodbye UTV, Hello RSVP!
In 2012, Walt Disney acquired UTV for $454 million (approximately Rs 3,769 crore), rebranding it as Disney UTV. Ronnie Screwvala, having sold his 23% stake, departed from the company two years later. Subsequently, he launched another film production venture, RSVP Movies, under which he has produced films like The Sky Is Pink, Sonchiriya, Raat Akeli Hai, Karwaan, and several others.
Ronnie Scewvala Co-founded Edtech Company UpGrad
Ronnie Screwvala serves as the co-founder and chairperson of UpGrad, an Edtech company he co-established with Mayank Kumar and Phalgun Kompalli in 2015. It is a digital education platform focused on delivering accessible and high-quality learning experiences. Acknowledging the increasing need for lifelong learning and skill development, Screwvala conceptualized upGrad as a solution to bridge the divide between conventional education and the evolving demands of the industry.
In 2022, UpGrad successfully acquired Harappa Education for Rs 300 crore, and as per a News18 report, the company is presently valued at $2.25 billion (approximately Rs 18,685 crore).
