Meet Ajay Bijli, who rebuilt Rs 14,224 crore empire after devastating fire, father's death; had got Mercedes at wedding

Ajay Bijli's family has invested in men's footwear and fashion brand Louis Stitch. ATC Logistics, the company run by Bijli's son Aamer, has invested Rs 5 crore at a valuation of Rs 100 crore. The company sells clothes and shoes on online stores. The money will be used to make offline stores. Ajay Bijli is known for creating India's most successful premium movie theatre chain. He launched PVR in 1995. Less than 30 years later, the company is India's most famous theatre brand. He erected the business empire -- whose market capitalization is Rs 14,224 crore -- despite several personal setbacks.

Ajay Bijli is the owner of PVR Cinemas chain in India. He is also the chairman of PVR Limited.

He did his graduation from Hindu College, Delhi University. He comes from an affluent family.  His father ran a trucking company called Amritsar Transport.  Remembering his childhood, he said his car-enthusiast father gifted him a Volvo when went to college. He also gave him a Honda when he demanded one. When he got married, he was given a Mercedes.

After his graduation, he joined his father's Priya Theatre. His father unfortunately passed away in 1992. That was a dark time in his life. His family owned a cinema hall called Priya in Vasant Vihar. He wasn't interested in the transport business. He always wanted to run the cinema business.

There was also a fire incident in his transport company. He was a fun-loving person. However, during the tough period, he became conservative. He stopped buying cars. He understood that the need of the hour was to take care of the business. He loosened his purse strings only after PVR Cinemas had made it mark by 2005.

In 1995, Ajay Bijali met a Hollywood producer who introduced him to an Australian production house named "Village Roadshow". They started a joint venture called PVR (Priya Village Roadshow). After the Aussie company exited the business, he ran the company along with his family members.

He also weathered the COVID storm and is now looking at pre-pandemic levels of viewership in the next few months.

Bijli is married to his school mate Selena. They got married in 1990. He has three children. Ameer, Niharika and Neha. He later studied Owner Management at Harvard Business School.

PVR reconstructed Anupam Cinema, India's first multiplex theatre.

Last year, PVR and Inox merged together and now they have 1650 plus screens together. The PVR promoters own 10.6 percent stakes. The combined valuation of the companies was pegged at Rs 17400 crore. With this, the estimated shares of the family stand at Rs 1844 crore.

Ajay Bijli started the renovation of Priya theatre (original name was Priya Love Vikas Cinema). He had to close the transport business because of the fire. 

He also turned around the theatre with the introduction of English movies to the theatre.

In the quarter ending December 31, 2022, the company recorded a profit after tax of Rs 16.5 crore.