The Indian entertainment industry's Frames-Ficci confab in Mumbai was shaken up by news Kunal Dasgupta has ankled as CEO of Sony Pictures Television Intl.'s India unit.
A statement from SPTI's international networks prexy Andy Kaplan, released Thursday, said Dasgupta had resigned for "personal reasons." Insiders said it was due to a rift between the Board of Cricket Control India and SPTI's Indian unit, Multi Screen Media, over sponsorship.
BCCI was upset that a major sponsor, Reliance ADAG's Big TV, had pulled out on Monday after learning that it was not the exclusive sponsor of Indian Premier League cricket.
Big TV was to be an on-ground sponsor while Multi Screen had signed Bharti Airtel as an on-air sponsor.
BCCI asked Multi Screen to compensate for its 13.7 million rupees ($27.4 million) loss.
A Multi Screen board meeting about the matter went on all Wednesday night, according to the Economic Times of India. Dasgupta ankled just hours after it ended.
Dasgupta was instrumental in helping land rights to Indian Premier League, one of the most valuable TV properties in cricket-crazy India.
He also must step down as co-chair of Ficci's entertainment committee.
Man Jit Singh, tapped interim topper Multi Screen Media, will lead the search for a new CEO.
Dasgupta has been with SPTI's Indian arm since its start with a single channel, SET, in 1995. It now has several channels including SET Max, SAB and SET Pix.
Exec played a key role in setting up Multi Screen's the OneAlliance with Discovery Communications India, which distribs 18 channels in the country.
Contact Shalini Dore at
shali.dore@variety.com