MUMBAI: Twentieth Century Fox managing director Aditya Shastri has taken charge as UTV Motion Pictures - production COO. Shastri's job responsibility will involve handling the slew of productions at UTV, generation of ideas for new productions and forging alliances for co-production of films as well as internal co-productions.

Says Shastri, "In the last few years, UTV Motion Pictures has made rapid inroads in the area of motion pictures production. I will be responsible for spearheading future growth of the company and leveraging the studio model to flesh out new business."

Speaking about Shastri's appointment, UTV Software Communications Ltd CEO Ronnie Screwvala says, "His cross learnings at Fox globally, as well as his interactions with the movie trade for the last nine years gives him a very good perspective of this challenging industry domestically, as well as an international perspective which is equally important to our defined growth path in movies."

At Fox, Shastri had handled and released several blockbusters such as Moulin Rouge, Die Another Day, The Day After Tomorrow, I, Robot and Garfield.

Shastri was also instrumental in the acquisition and release of local Bollywood films such as Bollywood Calling, Jhankaar Beats, Pinjar, Mumbai Mainee and Tehzeeb. He was responsible for the launch of Fox Home Entertainment in 1996 and introduced commercial availability of formats like VCD and Laser Disc to the studio's offering in India.

Shastri will however continue to assist Fox over the next month to transition the next few steps it takes along with his current assignment.