Bikram Duggal, the head of studios at Disney Star (formerly Fox Studios), has stepped down from his role and will not transition to the merged Disney-Reliance entity, according to sources confirmed by ET BrandEquity. Duggal is likely to shift focus towards brand management for Disney India.

During his tenure, Duggal played an integral role in managing the studios business, overseeing the marketing and distribution of global releases from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures, alongside local productions through Fox Star Studios.

Duggal’s influence has been marked by the successful marketing of blockbuster films like ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, ‘Black Panther’, and Disney classics such as ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Frozen 2’. His leadership has also been crucial in fostering the local production scene, creating iconic franchises, and expanding Disney’s presence in India’s movie landscape.

Before his position at Disney, Duggal held strategic roles at JWT, Lowe, HUL, Turner, and within the premium tourism sector.

Duggal’s departure follows other recent high-level exits at Disney Star, including K Madhavan, Country Manager and President, and Sajith Sivanandan, Head of Disney+ Hotstar India, as Disney Star undergoes a significant transition.

The Disney-Reliance merger, expected to finalize in early November, will create a new joint venture with Reliance holding a 16.34 percent stake, Viacom18 46.82 percent, and Disney 36.84 percent. This consolidation aims to reshape the Indian media landscape, bringing together powerful resources and content under one umbrella.