Ronnie Screwvala surpasses SRK, Salman & Aamir combined

The 2025 edition of the Forbes Billionaire List has been released, revealing 3,028 billionaires worldwide, including 205 from India. Among them is Bollywood’s sole billionaire—an entrepreneur who started by selling toothbrushes and is now wealthier than the industry's biggest superstars combined.

Bollywood’s Wealthiest Mogul

According to Forbes, media magnate and entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala is the only billionaire from the Hindi film industry, boasting a net worth of $1.5 billion. This makes him richer than Bollywood’s three biggest superstars—Shah Rukh Khan ($770 million), Salman Khan ($390 million), and Aamir Khan ($220 million)—whose combined wealth still falls short at $1.38 billion. He also surpasses industry giants like Gulshan Kumar ($900 million) and Aditya Chopra ($800 million).

From Toothbrushes to Billion-Dollar Deals

Born in Bombay in 1956, Screwvala started his entrepreneurial journey in the late ’70s by manufacturing toothbrushes. In the early ’80s, as India embraced color television, he capitalized on the cable TV boom, which paved the way for his entry into entertainment.

In 1990, he launched UTV Motion Pictures, producing some of Bollywood’s most iconic films, including Swades, Rang De Basanti, Jodhaa Akbar, and Barfi. His company also brought hit TV shows like Shanti, Hip Hip Hurray, Khichdi, and Shararat to Indian households.

The real game-changer came in 2012, when Screwvala sold UTV to Disney in a billion-dollar deal. Five years later, he made a comeback with RSVP Movies, producing films like Kedarnath, Uri, The Sky Is Pink, and Sam Bahadur.

How He Built His Fortune

Beyond cinema, Screwvala’s investments in startups and education ventures have played a key role in his wealth. His companies—UpGrad, Unilazer, and USports—have grown into massive success stories, solidifying his status as Bollywood’s richest personality.

Adding another milestone to his journey, he made his on-screen debut in 2024 as a judge on Shark Tank India, bringing his entrepreneurial expertise to a new audience.

From selling toothbrushes to becoming Bollywood’s only billionaire, Ronnie Screwvala’s journey is a testament to vision, risk-taking, and relentless ambition.