MUMBAI: Come April and Sony Pictures Releasing of India will see two senior level departures. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment India country head N Muthuram along with the studio’s head of publicity Vikramjit Roy have put in their papers.

Sources inform Businessofcinema.com that Muthuram will be joining Reliance BIG Entertainment by mid-April and will be heading production for regional films. On the other hand, Roy is slated to join Mahindra & Mahindra’s new filmed entertainment company in the first week of April.

When contacted, Sony Pictures Releasing of India distribution head Kercy Daruwala confirmed the developments to Businessofcinema.com but refused to elaborate.

Additionally, post the release of the studio’s first Indian co-production Saawariya late last year, there has been another top level manangement change. With effect from 1 January, 2008 Sony Pictures Releasing of India’s managing director Uday Singh stepped down from his post and has only been looking at the studio’s film production activities. Sony Pictures inked a co-production deal for Hindi films with Eros International and Singh will primarily looking into that aspect of the business. The two companies will jointly develop, produce and acquire multiple Hindi films.

Both Singh and Muthuram declined to comment on any of the developments. On the other hand, Roy could not be reached at the time of filing this story.

Muthuram was instrumental in setting up the marekting department of Sony Pictures India. After a three year stint, he moved to Crest Communications as vice-president – operations and later to Shringar Cinemas as international films head. In 2004, he joined Sony again as the country head of its home entertainment company. Roy has been with the studio for almost a decade now.

It may be recalled that late last year, Sony Pictures Releasing of India’s marketing head Harshavardhan Gangurde too put in his papers and joined Inox Leisure as vice president marketing.