Sony Pictures Entertainment announces new leadership team for movie business

NEW DELHI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced its new leadership team for the movie business in India, with Shony Panjikaran and Lada Guruden Singh set to head its distribution and production verticals in the country.

Singh has been appointed general manager and head of Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP), India. He will be overseeing SPIP India’s local film development and production slate as well as its expansion in regional cinema. Singh will report to Michael Rifkin and Shebnem Askin, co-heads of SPIP.

Panjikaran has been appointed general manager and head of Sony Pictures Releasing International, India. He will manage Sony Pictures’ theatrical business across the Hollywood and local movie slate in India, including distribution, sales, and marketing efforts. Panjikaran will report to Adam Herr, senior vice-president, distribution, Asia, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

In addition to its Hollywood line-up, Sony Pictures is further committing to investment in Indian theatrical projects, and has expanded its footprint in regional cinema including Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam projects, the company said in a statement.

“It is an absolute privilege to oversee SPE’s theatrical business in India and bring a slate of Hollywood and Indian cinema to Indian audiences. Today, the film market in India is virtually borderless, and I am looking forward to pioneering new initiatives and partnerships in this dynamic distribution space and satisfy the demand for brilliant global and local stories in India,” Panjikaran said in a statement.

Singh has been with Sony Pictures group since 2014 in multiple capacities across public relations, marketing, and creative development. He has worked on titles like Piku, PadMan, 102 Not Out, Looop Lapeta and has led the studio’s expansion in Malayalam and Telugu with 9 and the recent biopic Major.

Panjikaran has spearheaded Sony Pictures Entertainment India’s marketing initiatives over the past four years helping to launch releases including Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spiderman: Far From Home, Jumanji-The Next Level, Venom and Major. He has also spent 10 years at Fox Star Studios where he led marketing efforts for films such as Avatar, Life of Pi, Deadpool, Sanju, Baaghi 2, Raja Rani, among others.