Ajay Bijli spent more than three decades building PVR into India’s biggest cinema chain. At 59, the managing director of PVR INOX is now chasing a very different kind of spotlight: the recording studio. His debut EP, On Another Note…, arrived on August 18, 2026, through Warner Music India. A seven-track devotional album, Hey Maa, followed on October 12, 2026, timed for Navratri. A collaboration with Rabbi Shergill is also in the works.
The story behind the switch is not a midlife whim. Bijli had a college band, long hair and festival gigs before the family business pulled him away. The pandemic gave him a second chance, and he took it with the same planning he brings to opening a multiplex.
The college band that came before the cinema chain
Long before PVR became a household name, Bijli was a singer. At Hindu College in Delhi, he fronted a band called Modus Operandi. They played gigs and festivals. He had long hair and, by his own admission, was the cool kid on campus.
“I had always wanted to be a singer. Back in school, I sang in inter-school competitions. Then in Hindu College, I had my band,” Bijli said.
College ended in 1988. Bijli joined the family transport business, Amritsar Transport Company. The cinema business began in 1990. Music went on the shelf for more than two decades.
He did not fully walk away. There were covers, a later band called Random Order, and a spiritual song, “Wahe Guru, Ik Onkar,” that found its way into Shah Rukh Khan’s 2023 film Dunki. A track called “Beparwah” with Amit Trivedi also came out. Those were side projects, not a career.
COVID brought the music back
The pandemic forced a reset. Bijli describes a moment of panic and clarity in the same breath.
“During COVID, I really panicked. I had an epiphany. I said life is fickle, and you only live once… I must do something about my music now!”
His children pushed him to take it seriously. Bijli contacted a teacher from Berklee College of Music and a Hindi teacher, Santa Singh. He built a daily routine around riyaaz at 5 AM. The discipline was not casual.
“I practise every day at five in the morning because if I take up something, I make sure I am sincere about it,” he said.
That routine led him to Amit Trivedi’s studio. Bijli rehearsed a song so hard that, as he recalls, “my face turned blue.” Trivedi was impressed enough to ask if the track could be part of his own album, Azad Collab. The experience gave Bijli the confidence to think about original music, not just covers.
A vocal cord injury and a hard lesson
The road to the EP included a serious setback. Bijli suffered a vocal cord injury that needed surgery in Boston. He had been reaching for notes outside his range and skipping rest.
“The voice box is an instrument, and you have to take care of it. I have learnt to do so the hard way,” he said.
The recovery did not stop the plan. If anything, it sharpened his approach. Bijli speaks about singing the way a founder speaks about operations: with preparation, feedback and repetition.
On Another Note: three songs, three feelings
On Another Note… is a three-song EP. Amit Trivedi composed the music. Shellee wrote the lyrics. The songs are built around three simple emotions: hope, gratitude and celebration.
- “Rab Rakhda” is about faith and optimism. It opened the EP in August 2026.
- “Shukriya” is about gratitude.
- “Dil Kare Haaye Haaye” is a wedding song, built for celebration and dance.
Bijli has described the EP as an honest project made without chasing trends. “Music has always given me much-needed respite from my daily life — a deep sense of peace and joy,” he said.
Trivedi praised Bijli’s passion and said the songs were created without worrying about what was trending. “Each song carries a different emotion, but together they tell a very human story,” Trivedi said.
Dil Kare Haaye Haaye and the wedding video
The most visible song from the EP is “Dil Kare Haaye Haaye.” The music video was directed by filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and choreographed by Ganesh Acharya. It arrived in September 2026.
The song is a full-on Indian wedding number. Bijli wanted to capture the chaos, warmth and noise of a big celebration. The idea came to him at a friend’s son’s wedding in Delhi, where he was asked to sing Hindi songs.
“Dil Kare Haaye Haaye is a song about the wonderful way we celebrate. It is a quintessential Indian wedding song, the kind that makes you want to sing, dance, and then sing a little louder,” Bijli said.
Mehra called Bijli “a natural and gifted singer.” Acharya said the track had the “energy, warmth, and beautiful chaos” of Indian weddings.
The video shows Bijli in a playful, celebratory avatar. It is a deliberate contrast to the corporate image he carries as the head of a listed company. Trivedi and Shellee had suggested leading with a softer song like “Rab Rakhda” first, so audiences would not see the wedding track as a gimmick.
Hey Maa: a seven-track devotional album for Navratri
On October 12, 2026, Bijli released Hey Maa, a seven-track devotional album. It features four songs and three mantras, dedicated to the Divine Mother. The album arrived at the start of Navratri.
Shekhar Ravjiani composed the devotional tracks. Priya Saraiya wrote the lyrics. Bijli’s daughter, Nayana Bijli, sings additional vocals on “Maa Saraswati.” The four songs are “Dhanya Dhanya,” “Hey Maa,” “Jai Ambe” and “Maa Saraswati.” The mantras include the Gayatri Mantra, “Ya Devi” and “Om Sarva Mangala”.
“With Hey Maa, I wanted to bring my love for music and my faith together in a way that feels deeply personal. Singing these devotional songs has been a special experience,” Bijli said.
The album has been playing at pandals during the festive season. Bijli said it is doing well and that devotional music gives him a different kind of satisfaction.
Working with Rabbi Shergill
New music is already in progress. Bijli is working with Rabbi Shergill, the singer known for “Bulla Ki Jaana.” Details of the collaboration are not public yet, but Bijli has confirmed the partnership.
The plan is ambitious: 12 independent songs a year, plus a devotional album every year. Bijli also wants to do more Punjabi pop, because he enjoys watching crowds dance at his live shows.
“When I do P-Pop, people come out on the dance floor. It is such a joy to watch them dance, so I definitely want to do more of that,” he said.
He also wants to record a song for Krishna, because his father’s name was Krishna.
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What success means at 59
Bijli is not treating music as a vanity project. He talks about sustainability, revenue streams and live shows. He has joined Instagram and started a YouTube channel to put his music out directly.
“Five years from now, I would like to be remembered as a singer who has a successful business,” he said.
He points to Bon Jovi and other artists who keep performing into their later years. The comparison is not about fame. It is about longevity and routine.
“I understand that at 60, I am charting out a new career for myself. And sustainability and revenue streams for singers are through live shows and concerts. I am sure, if I take care, I can last long,” he said.
The immediate priority is family. Bijli’s daughter is getting married, and he is expected to perform at the wedding.
“There is no bigger endorsement than your kids wanting you to perform at their wedding. I hope, after this, the other kids invite me to play at their wedding, too,” he said.
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