Career
At the age of 22, Bijli joined his family's transportation business and his father's Priya Cinema in Delhi. He renovated Priya Cinema, installed a Dolby sound system, refurbished interiors, and started playing Hollywood movies. The Government of India then announced the decontrolling of movie ticket prices along with a reduction in entertainment tax, which helped in propelling Priya Cinema's profits.[16][17][18]
In 1995, Bijli met John Crawford, Asia managing director of Village Roadshow, an Australian media major that was keen to get into India at that time. They entered into a joint venture, which led to the inception of Priya Village Roadshow (PVR). In 1997, PVR set up a multiplex cinema at Saket (Delhi) after reconstructing the Anupam Cinema.[19][20][21]
He expanded PVR in other parts of Delhi to 12 screens by 2000, before his Australian partner left Village Roadshow from Ithe ndian market. He then secured a funding of ₹80 crore from ICICI Ventures in 2003.[22][23]
In 2012, PVR acquired the Mumbai-based Cinemax and Bijli became its managing director.[24] He also acquired DLF's DT cinemas in 2016. In 2017, the American cinema player iPic Entertainment appointed Bijli to a board position, from which he resigned in July 2018.[25][26][27]
As the founding member of Multiplex Association of India, Bijli initiated and submitted an enhanced safety and precautions plan for cinemas to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India) and various other state governments.[28][29][30] In 2022, he launched a music video with his band Random Order to pay a tribute to the medical community for their work throughout the pandemic.[31]
In April 2023, following the merger of PVR Cinemas and INOX Leisure, Bijli became the Managing Director (MD) of the merged entities, PVR INOX and PVR INOX Pictures.[32]
