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Ronnie Screwvala Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 September 1956

Age65 Years

BirthplaceBombay, Maharashtra (now Mumbai)

ProfessionEntrepreneur, Philanthropist, Producer, Author

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseZarina Mehta

FamilyDaughter - Trishya Screwvala (from first marriage)

Net worthINR 6,500 Crore (Hurun India Rich List 2020 estimate)

Ronnie Screwvala Biography

Entrepreneur, media producer and philanthropist Ronnie Screwvala helped pioneer cable TV and build one of India’s most influential media businesses. Over a

Early life and background

Rohinton Soli Screwvala, widely known as Ronnie Screwvala, was born on 8 September 1956 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra. He attended Cathedral and John Connon School and later graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai. Raised in a Parsee household and practicing Zoroastrianism, he developed an early interest in storytelling and the performing arts, going on to start a theatre company after finishing his studies.

Career

Screwvala’s career spans entrepreneurship, media production and philanthropy. He emerged as an early mover in Indian television and retail: in the early 1980s he launched a home-shopping venture, Tele-Shopping Network (TSN), and was one of the pioneers of cable television in India. He later founded UTV, which grew from a content and production company into a diversified media group that included film production, distribution, studios and animation.

Under Screwvala’s leadership, UTV expanded into a listed company and attracted significant foreign investment. The Walt Disney Company acquired stakes in UTV entities in deals that included purchases of shares in the parent and broadcasting arms during the 2000s. After his exit from UTV, he set up Unilazer Ventures, a private-equity vehicle active across sectors including e-commerce, consumer brands and micro-housing finance.

Screwvala went on to create new ventures in media and technology. In 2014 he launched RSVP Movies, a production company that has backed a range of Hindi films. He has produced notable films such as Swades, Rang De Basanti, Paan Singh Tomar, Uri: The Surgical Strike and The Sky Is Pink. His work in film has been recognized with awards and nominations, including National Film Awards and recognition at Filmfare and IIFA for several productions. He has also produced television series, including long-running Hindi shows from the 1990s and 2000s.

Beyond film and television, Screwvala co-founded upGrad in 2015, an online education platform offering programs in data science, technology and management in partnership with established universities. He has been involved in the e-sports space as well: in 2014 he and a partner launched U Sports and an initiative called UDreams to provide professional training pathways for young athletes.

Philanthropy and public initiatives

In 2013 Screwvala and his wife established the Swades Foundation to focus on livelihood creation and rural development. He has remained active in social initiatives linked to education, entrepreneurship and employment. His public profile includes writing books and essays on entrepreneurship and related themes; titles credited to him include Dream With Your Eyes Open and several other entrepreneurial guides.

Public profile

Screwvala has received wide recognition for his impact on media and business. He has been included on lists of influential people by publications such as Time and Esquire and has been named among Asia’s powerful figures by Fortune. His films have earned major Indian film awards and international nominations. He was featured on the cover of Forbes in October 2020.

Personal life

Ronnie Screwvala has been married twice. His first marriage to Manjula Nanavati ended in divorce; they have a daughter, Trishya Screwvala. He later married Zarina Mehta, who is a co-founder of UTV and a co-trustee of the Swades Foundation. He lives in South Mumbai and is known to be an animal lover who keeps pet dogs. Hobbies he has described include reading, watching films and storytelling. He is also a keen chess player and has spoken about playing with friends and family.

Challenges and controversies

Screwvala has engaged publicly on industry issues, including a dispute over the practices of multiplex chains and the Virtual Print Fee that producers are charged. That public criticism led to a formal complaint from multiplex owners that became part of a broader conversation about revenue shares and exhibition practices.

Latest updates

In recent years Screwvala has continued to build businesses across media, education and investment. He remains active as a producer through RSVP Movies and as an investor via Unilazer Ventures. His work with the Swades Foundation continues to be a central part of his public activity. A scheduled film project, Ashwathama, was reported to have been shelved, resulting in a financial setback in 2021.
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Recent Work

RSVP Movies (production)

Founder of the production company that produced films including Uri: The Surgical Strike and The Sky Is Pink.

2014
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Career Highlights

  1. Pioneered home shopping in India with Tele-Shopping Network and was an early figure in Indian cable television.
  2. Founded UTV and grew it into a diversified media group that listed publicly and later drew investment from The Walt Disney Company.
  3. Produced award-winning and widely recognized films including Rang De Basanti, Jodhaa Akbar, Barfi!, Swades and Uri: The Surgical Strike.
  4. Co-founded upGrad, an online education platform, and launched Unilazer Ventures as a private equity investor.
  5. Established the Swades Foundation with his wife to support rural livelihood programs.
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Net Worth

According to IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2020, Ronnie Screwvala stood at 188 rank with a wealth of INR 6,500 Crore

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ronnie Screwvala born?

8 September 1956

What is Ronnie Screwvala known for?

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Producer, Author

What is Ronnie Screwvala’s marital status?

Married

Who is Ronnie Screwvala married to?

Zarina Mehta

What is Ronnie Screwvala’s net worth?

INR 6,500 Crore (Hurun India Rich List 2020 estimate)