About
Ronnie Screwvala is often described as one of India’s most enterprising storytellers, but his interests stretch far beyond the silver screen. After selling his media‑conglomerate UTV to Disney for US $1.4 billion, he pivoted to digital education and is now chairperson and co‑founder of upGrad, an online‑learning unicorn serving more than 20,000 active learners. In early 2025 he set aside ₹100 crore for an AI incubator inside upGrad and argued that entrepreneurs should “focus on creating value, not chasing wealth.”
Screwvala also runs RSVP Movies, a production banner that has already released nearly forty films and series—including the hit war drama Uri: The Surgical Strike—while preparing a fresh 2025 slate. Beyond business he champions rural development through the Swades Foundation, aiming to lift one million Indians out of poverty in multi‑year cycles.
Before Fame
Born Rohinton Soli Screwvala in Mumbai on 8 September 1956, Ronnie grew up in a Parsi household where his father worked for a British trading firm. He dabbled in theatre at Cathedral and John Connon School but was drawn quickly to entrepreneurship. His first venture in the early 1980s produced cable‑TV sets for hotels—virtually unheard of in an era when India had just one terrestrial channel. A few years later he launched Laser, a toothbrush‑manufacturing unit, which taught him hard lessons about capital and branding under the restrictive “Licence Raj.” In 1990 he stitched those experiences into United Television (UTV), which grew from dubbing commercials into a diversified media giant before its eventual sale.
Trivia
- Quiz‑show host: Long before streaming deals, Screwvala fronted Mashoor Mahal on Doordarshan in 1985, showcasing his comfort in front of the camera as well as behind it.
- Global recognition: Esquire ranked him among the 75 most influential people of the 21st century (2008), and Time placed him on its Time 100 list (2009), honoring his role in shaping emerging‑market media.
- Serial author: His memoir Dream with Your Eyes Open (2015) doubles as a start‑up playbook, distilling four decades of hits, flops, and pivots.
- Sports buff: Through U Sports he has owned franchises in football (Mumbai City FC) and kabaddi (U Mumba), using leagues to nurture Indian talent.
Family Life
Ronnie is married to Zarina Mehta, his long‑time professional partner who co‑founded UTV and now co‑chairs the Swades Foundation. The couple live in South Mumbai. Ronnie’s daughter from his first marriage, Trishya Screwvala, runs the Lighthouse Project, a youth‑mentoring nonprofit, and is married to sports commentator Suhail Chandhok. The family is known for keeping a low profile while channeling considerable resources into health, education, and livelihood programs across Maharashtra.
Associated With
- Mayank Kumar & Phalgun Komanduri – co‑founders at upGrad, working with Screwvala on the platform’s expansion and prospective IPO once the ed‑tech market stabilizes.
- Vicky Kaushal & Aditya Dhar – actor‑director duo behind RSVP’s breakout hit Uri, illustrating Ronnie’s knack for backing fresh voices.
- Zarina Mehta – partner in philanthropy and business, guiding Swades Foundation projects in rural empowerment.
- Industry mentors & investors – through Unilazer Ventures he funds early‑stage start‑ups, often advising founders to balance ambition with resilience rather than quick exits.
From toothbrushes to blockbusters to online classrooms, Ronnie Screwvala’s journey shows how curiosity—and a stubborn refusal to stand still—can keep an entrepreneur reinventing both industries and himself while trying to lift others along the way.
