M&A Lab: Reliance – Disney: The Grand Ambani Wedding of the Media World

Reliance – Disney: The Grand Ambani Wedding of the Media World

The year 2024 has been a year of grand Ambani weddings. One such major Ambani wedding (Reliance-Disney merger) has been the talk of the media world. This deal marked a watershed moment in the global entertainment and media landscape. Disney, renowned for its storied legacy in animation, cinema, and theme parks, joins forces with Reliance, a pioneering force in telecommunications and digital innovation.

Th Reliance-Disney alliance heralded a convergence of creative content and technological infrastructure, promising profound implications for both industries. This alliance has been positioned as a major consolidation in India’s television and digital streaming landscape, combining prominent media properties in entertainment and sports. This deal promises access to highly anticipated events across both television and digital platforms, facilitated by JioCinema, Reliance’s popular streaming service in India, and Disney+Hotstar.

The deal was valued over INR 711,370,000,000 (approx. USD 8.5 billion) with Reliance holding 16.34%, Viacom18 holding approx. 46.82%, and Disney retaining 36.84% of the combined entity. The partnership will enable the two media and entertainment giants to capitalize on India’s vast consumer base, positioning them to capture a substantial share of the OTT market compared to their competitors.

In this M&A lab, we delve into the legal, regulatory, taxation and commercial aspects of the deal, providing insights into the complexities and intricacies of the transaction.

To access the M&A Lab, please click here.

Author:

Palomita Sharma, Anirudh Srinivasan, Sapna Kataria, Vasavi Kaparthi and Nishchal Joshipura

You can direct your queries or comments to the relevant member.

Disclaimer

The contents of this hotline should not be construed as legal opinion. View detailed disclaimer.

This hotline does not constitute a legal opinion and may contain information generated using various artificial intelligence (AI) tools or assistants, including but not limited to our in-house tool, NaiDA. We strive to ensure the highest quality and accuracy of our content and services. Nishith Desai Associates is committed to the responsible use of AI tools, maintaining client confidentiality, and adhering to strict data protection policies to safeguard your information.

This hotline provides general information existing at the time of preparation. The Hotline is intended as a news update and Nishith Desai Associates neither assumes nor accepts any responsibility for any loss arising to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of any material contained in this Hotline. It is recommended that professional advice be taken based on the specific facts and circumstances. This hotline does not substitute the need to refer to the original pronouncements.

This is not a spam email. You have received this email because you have either requested for it or someone must have suggested your name. Since India has no anti-spamming law, we refer to the US directive, which states that a email cannot be considered spam if it contains the sender’s contact information, which this email does. In case this email doesn’t concern you, please unsubscribe from mailing list.