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Ronnie Screwvala Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

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Age: 65 Years
Wife: Zarina Mehta
Hometown: Maharashtra

Ronnie Screwvala

Bio/Wiki
Full nameRohinton Soli Screwvala [1]Forbes
Nickname(s)Ronnie Screwvala [2]Forbes
Profession(s)• Entrepreneur
• Philanthropist
• Producer
• Author
Famous forPioneering Cable TV in India
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 180 cm
in meters- 1.80 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 11”
Eye ColourBlack
Hair ColourBlack
Career
Awards & Achievements • Named on Esquire’s List of the 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century
• Ranked 78 among the 100 most influential people in the world on the Time 100 (compiled by Time Magazine, 2009)
• Listed amongst 25 Asia’s Most Powerful by Fortune Magazine
• Titled the Jack Warner of India by Newsweek
• Nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Non-English Film – Rang De Basanti
• Won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at National Film Awards (2007) for Rang De Basanti
• Won Best Film by Filmfare Awards (2007) and IIFA Awards (2007) for Rang De Basanti
• Won Best Film by Filmfare Awards (2009) and IIFA Awards (2009) for Jodha Akbar
• Won Best Film by Filmfare Awards (2013) and IIFA Awards (2013) for Barfi!
Personal Life
Date of Birth8 September 1956 (Saturday)
Age (as of 2021) 65 Years
BirthplaceBombay, Maharashtra (now Mumbai)
Zodiac signVirgo
NationalityIndian
HometownMumbai
SchoolCathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai
College/UniversitySydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai
Educational QualificationGraduation [3]Business Today
AddressBreach Candy, South Mumbai, Maharashtra
Religion/Religious ViewsZoroastrianism [4]Financial Times
CasteParsee [5]Financial Times
Hobbies• Reading
• Watching Movies
• Storytelling [6]Mint
ControversyControversial Tweet on Multiplexes
Ronnie Screwvala tweeted persistently against big multiplexes including PVR and alleged that they unfairly charge a high Virtual Print Fee (VPF) to producers. [7]Spotboye Ronnie had tweeted,
"Multiplexes unfairly charge Virtual Print Fee (VPF) from producers and earn a handsome amount of 400 crores approximately in a year.”
Later, the officials of PVR filed a complaint in SEBI against him for spreading wrong information which affected their business. When the reporters asked Ronnie to comment on it. He said,
"Just read a press article about some complaint filed by PVR before SEBI in response to our complaint to the CCI (Competition Commission of India). I stand by all stated on our complaint to the CCI and there is nothing slanderous or malicious. The discriminatory action of the multiplexes in giving preferential treatment to the Hollywood movies as against the Marathi, Hindi and Indian movies, or why consumers are forced to sit through 15 minutes and more of advertising even though they paid for their ticket, is still unexplained by the multiplexes and this is not in the interest of the nation or consumers. And till the penny drops with the multiplex owners that the ultimate risk takers are the content creators and they are only a service provider and so cannot take the lion’s share of the revenue it would be fair to state that their action is in collusion and to divide and rule. Time is running out.”
Relationships & More
Marital StatusMarried
Family
Wife/SpouseFirst Wife- Manjula Nanavati (divorced; daughter of Suresh Nanavati, who is the chairman of Nanavati Hospitals in Mumbai)
Second Wife- Zarina Mehta (co-founder of UTV and co-trustee of philanthropic foundation, The Swades Foundation)
Ronnie Screwvala with Zarina Mehta
ChildrenDaughter- Trishya Screwvala (from his first wife Manjula Nanavati)
Ronnie Screwvala with his daughter
ParentsFather- Name Not Known (worked as an executive at the British firm J L Morrison and Smith)
Mother- Name Not Known
Other RelativesSuhail Chandhok (son in-law; actor, TV presenter, and commentator)
Money Factor
Net Worth (approx.)According to IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2020, Ronnie Screwvala stood at 188 rank with a wealth of INR 6,500 Crore [8]Hurun India

Ronnie Screwvala

Some Lesser Known Facts About Ronnie Screwvala

  • Ronnie Screwvala is an Indian businessman and TV & film producer. He is known for being the founder of the film production and distribution company UTV.
  • After completing his graduation, he started a theatre company and performed in a few theatre plays.
  • He then started a toothbrush manufacturing company ‘Laser’ which gained immense popularity among the consumers. As of 2022, the company is selling around 6 million toothbrushes per month.
  • In 1981, he pioneered home shopping in India with Tele-Shopping Network (TSN). He is also one of the key persons to start cable television in India. [9]Business Today
  • He is the founder of ‘United Studios,’ a premier studio and animation complex in South Asia.
  • In 1990, Ronnie started the film production company UTV group and expanded it into a movie studio, game studio, and creative company. In 2005, it was listed on the National Stock Exchange of India.
  • In 2008, The Walt Disney Company bought 15% shares in UTV Global Broadcasting for Rs 118.98 crores which is considered one of the largest foreign investments in India. Later, Walt Disney acquired 32.1 per cent in the parent UTV Software Communications Ltd for Rs 805.05 crore. In 2012, UTV Global Broadcasting was divested by Walt Disney.
  • Screwvala then started a private equity company Unilazer Ventures and has invested in various industries like e-commerce, Lenskart, and micro-housing finance.
  • Ronnie is also involved in various social services. In 2013, he started an NGO Swades Foundation along with his wife Zarina. The main aim of setting up the NGO was to provide various livelihood opportunities in India.

    Ronnie Screwvala during an event of Swades Foundation

    Ronnie Screwvala during an event of Swades Foundation

  • In 2014, Ronnie started the Indian film production company RSVP Movies.
  • He is a well-known name in the world of Indian film producers. He has produced many Hindi films like Swades (2004), Rang De Basanti (2006), Paan Singh Tomar (2010), Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), and The Sky is Pink (2019).
  • Apart from film, he has also produced Hindi TV serials like Shanti (1994-98), Shaka Laka Boom Boom (2000-04), Khichdi (2002-04), Shararat (2003-07), and Hero – Bhakti Hi Shakti Hai (2005-07).
  • He has authored the books like Dream with Your Eyes Open, An Entrepreneurial Journey, Skill It Kill It, Up Your Game, and Dream with your Eyes Open.

    Dream With Your Eyes Open book

    Dream With Your Eyes Open book

  • He has also penned down a few articles such as ‘The growing realization of self-reliance in India is a welcome change, but not without the Triple E Highway – Education, Entrepreneurship & Employment,’ ‘Changing Perceptions of Online Learning,’ and ‘Live life on your own terms and other lessons for my daughter.’
  • In 2014, Ronnie Screwvala and Supratik Sen (film writer) started the e-sports company ‘U Sports.’ Under the company, he started an initiative called UDreams which helps the children by providing professional training in various sports.
  • In 2015, Ronnie co-founded the online education company upGrad. The online platform provides various educational programs in the areas of Data Science, Technology and Management to college students, working professionals, and enterprises. upGrad has associated with various top universities like IIT Madras, IIIT-B, BITS Pilani, MICA, and Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education to upgrade the education system in India.
  • Ronnie is an avid animal lover and has a few pet dogs named Sprite and Skye.

    Ronnie Screwvala with his pet dog Skye

    Ronnie Screwvala with his pet dog Skye

  • In 2021, he suffered a loss of around Rs 30 crores after his film ‘Ashwathama’ got shelved. He signed Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan to play the lead role. [10]Bollywood Hungama
  • He has got a large chessboard carved in his house. In an interview, he shared that he loves playing chess with the Indian actor Aamir Khan. He said,

    I know how to play chess. Occasionally my daughter and I would do that, or when Aamir comes over, he and I play, But I haven’t yet beaten Aamir, so that’s a bad thing.”

  • In October 2020 edition, he was featured on the cover page of Forbes magazine.

    Ronnie Screwvala featued on the cover of Forbes

    Ronnie Screwvala featued on the cover of Forbes

References/Sources:[+]