Reliance and Disney Complete Mega Merger to Revolutionize India’s Entertainment Landscape
BILKULONLINE
Mumbai/Burbank, Calif, Nov 14: In a landmark move poised to reshape India’s media and entertainment industry, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Viacom18, and The Walt Disney Company have officially launched their joint venture, combining iconic Indian brands such as Star, Colors, JioCinema, and Hotstar. This historic partnership, valued at ₹70,352 crore (~US$8.5 billion), brings together powerful assets in TV and digital streaming, backed by RIL’s strategic ₹11,500 crore investment.
Chaired by Nita M. Ambani, with Uday Shankar as Vice Chairperson, the new entity will leverage both Reliance’s deep market insight and Disney’s global expertise, delivering extensive entertainment and sports content to millions in India and worldwide. This strategic merger unites over 100 TV channels and two major digital platforms with 50+ million subscribers, creating one of India’s largest entertainment conglomerates.
With leadership from three dedicated CEOs — Kevin Vaz for entertainment, Kiran Mani for digital, and Sanjog Gupta for sports — the venture aims to set new standards in innovative, affordable content for Indian viewers and the diaspora.
This joint venture signals a bold new chapter for India’s entertainment industry, blending traditional TV with cutting-edge digital, and poised to redefine media consumption across the country.
