From Boardroom to Gurudwara: PVR CEO Ajay Bijli Debuts as Singer in Shah Rukh Khan's "Dunki"

Ajay Bijli, the managing director of PVR INOX, can be heard crooning a song in "Dunki" today. He took advantage of the opportunity to pursue his teenage passion for music, which he claims he left behind to manage the family business. He was a member of a college band.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bijli began with English and Hindi covers of his favorite songs. Subsequently, he made the decision to elevate the performance by singing an original song. This led to the creation of "Waheguru, Ik Onkar", a spiritual song that is a major part of Shah Rukh Khan's latest release "Dunki" and has a music video available on T-series.

It's a passion project, and I want the song to be helpful to people when they listen to it. I'm not a spiritual leader or anything. I'm just belting out a song that speaks to me. It's a prayer, and depending on who you ask, it can mean different things. "I hope it makes people feel something," Bijli stated in an interview with PTI.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is the director of the video, which was shot in the picturesque Pathar Sahib Gurudwara close to Leh, Ladakh. Ravi Verman is the cinematographer, and Sheykhar Ravjiani is the composer.

Singing has always been a passion of Bijli's, who practices regularly ('riyaz') and has been learning music from a guru.

"I have always had a deep affection for music. I played in a band in college called Modus Operandi, but we broke up when I graduated in 1988 to start working for my transport company. It wasn't until 1990 that I developed a passion for movies," he said.

In addition to running a transportation company, his family owned Priya Cinema in Vasant Vihar, which Bijli eventually developed into the PVR multiplex chain. After a recent merger with INOX, the business is now called PVR INOX.

It is Bijli's first official release, he said, adding that the spiritual song is his first with Random Order, his new band. He wanted to start his musical career with a song that not only links him to his Punjabi heritage but also serves as a reminder of God.

"My mother really likes the song and I also wanted to give a tribute to her through this," he stated.

After making the decision to record the song, Bijli went to Ravjiani because he had enjoyed the composer's performance of "Hanuman Chalisa".

"I asked Shekhar to do a favor for me when I reached out to him. Could you perform 'Ik Onkar' in its original version? "Okay, I will do it for you," he replied. He completed the task without charging. I adore the music he composed, especially the "Waheguru" loop." Bijli had planned to film the music video at either Delhi's Bangla Sahib Gurudwara or Amritsar's famous Golden Temple. Yet Mehra recommended that they film the video at the Pathar Sahib Gurudwara, which is close to Leh in Ladakh.

The song's inclusion in Rajkumar Hirani's film "Dunki" was merely a coincidence.

While talking about the movie with his old school friend Shah Rukh Khan, Bijli realized that the song could fit in with the Punjabi-set film.

"Listen, I have sung this version of 'Ik Onkar,' and I think the movie is set in Punjab with a scene at a gurudwara.'" I said to Raju. "Yes, we have such scenes," he replied. "May I just send you my song?" I asked. "Sure, send it, and I'll see if I can fit it anywhere," he replied. However, it must appeal to me, resonate, and fit the main theme. "Yes, without a doubt. I'm just taking a chance," I replied. Fortunately, Hirani thought the song was good enough to include on the official album as well as the background of the movie.

Song about hope is what Bijli intends to release after "Waheguru, Ik Onkar" to the general public.

"I'm reaching out to music directors whose compositions I enjoy. I contacted Amit Trivedi a few months ago and asked if I could sing a few of his songs because I really enjoy his music. I told him that I couldn't do frivolous things because I'm 56 years old.

"It needs to be enjoyable and upbeat because Covid was a period when everyone experienced severe depression. Therefore, I want to write songs that are uplifting and make people smile," Bijli stated, emphasizing that he wants to write songs with "depth and longevity."

Bijli intends to release the two songs that Trivedi wrote and that Swanand Kirkire wrote as soon as possible.

Bijli is pleased that after all these years, music is now a part of his life once more.

"Life completes a circle. Naturally, as the MD of PVR INOX, my primary duty is to manage the business; I owe it to the 200 million visitors, the 25,000 employees, and the shareholders. However, when people enquire about how I manage my time, I always remind them that businessmen can also be tennis or golf players. They drive or ride, which are other passions. I'm passionate about this."

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.