Intended and actual outcome of partnership between UTV and Disney #productmanagement

 The partnership between UTV and Disney, which ultimately led to Disney's full acquisition of UTV Software Communications in 2012, aimed to leverage UTV's strong local presence and content creation capabilities with Disney's global brand power and financial resources.

Here's how this partnership was intended to help UTV in the past, and what the outcomes were:

Initial Benefits for UTV (pre-acquisition):

 * Increased Investment and Financial Backing: Disney began by taking minority stakes in UTV (starting with 14.9% in 2006, increasing to 32.1% by 2008). This provided UTV with significant capital infusions, which could be used for content production, expansion, and other strategic initiatives.

 * Global Exposure and Distribution: The alliance offered UTV potential access to Disney's vast global distribution networks and expertise. For instance, in 2010, Disney started handling home entertainment distribution for some key UTV titles.

 * Creative Collaborations: The companies started co-producing Disney-branded films aimed at family audiences, sharing creative responsibilities. This allowed UTV to work on projects with a broader appeal and potentially higher production values.

 * Credibility and Brand Association: Partnering with a global entertainment giant like Disney undoubtedly boosted UTV's standing and credibility in the market, both domestically and internationally.

 * Diversification into New Segments: UTV, under Disney's influence, was able to further expand into various segments like television broadcasting (channels like Bindass, UTV Movies), gaming (UTV Indiagames), and interactive content.

Post-Acquisition (from 2012):

 * Full Integration and Resources: Upon full acquisition in 2012, UTV became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Disney, briefly known as Disney UTV. This meant UTV had direct access to Disney's extensive resources, including technology, marketing, and global business strategies. Ronnie Screwvala, UTV's founder, even became Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company India for a period.

 * Exclusive Distribution for Disney Films: UTV Motion Pictures became the exclusive distributor for all Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures releases in South Asian territories from 2013 onward, which broadened UTV's portfolio and revenue streams.

 * Enhanced Multi-platform Presence: Disney's goal was to effectively build, monetize, and brand multi-platform franchises in India, utilizing UTV's existing television and film assets.

However, despite these initial advantages and the full acquisition, the long-term outcome for UTV (specifically its film production arm) was not entirely successful:

 * Ideological Mismatch: Reports indicate an "ideological mismatch" between Disney's global approach, which emphasized full control of intellectual property (IP), and UTV's model, which often involved co-productions where UTV might only have theatrical rights. This led to challenges in structuring deals and realizing profits, even from successful films.

 * Profitability Issues: Despite producing successful films, UTV's studio business reportedly accumulated significant losses post-acquisition. Disney struggled to make a substantial impact in Bollywood and make its film production ventures profitable.

 * Focus Shift: By July 2017, Disney ultimately shut down UTV Motion Pictures, opting to focus on its Hollywood film distribution, television, licensing, and merchandising businesses through the Disney banner in India. This marked the end of UTV's journey as a major Hindi film production studio under Disney's direct ownership.

In essence, while the partnership provided UTV with significant investment, global exposure, and opportunities for collaboration, the cultural and business model differences, coupled with challenges in the Indian film market, ultimately led Disney to discontinue UTV's local film production operations.