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Ajay Bijli Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth9 February 1967

BirthplaceNew Delhi, India

ProfessionBusinessman

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSelena

FamilyChildren: Aamer (son), Niharika (daughter), Naina (daughter)

Ajay Bijli Biography

Ajay Bijli is an Indian businessman best known as the founder and long-time leader of PVR Cinemas. He transformed a family-owned single-screen theatre into

Early life and background

Ajay Bijli was born on 9 February 1967 in New Delhi, India. He grew up around his family’s businesses and developed an early fascination with cinema after spending long hours at the family-owned Priya cinema in Vasant Vihar. Bijli completed his undergraduate studies at Hindu College in Delhi and later attended an executive program at Harvard Business School.

Career

Bijli moved from a passion for films to entrepreneurship by persuading his family to renovate the Priya cinema when he was in his early twenties. He upgraded projection and sound equipment, improved seating and air conditioning, and programmed primarily Hollywood releases. The revamped theatre reopened in 1991 and established a model that Bijli would build on in the years to come.

In the mid-1990s Bijli entered a joint venture with Australian multiplex operator Village Roadshow; the partnership was branded Priya Village Roadshow (PVR). Together they launched PVR Anupam, regarded as one of India’s first multiplexes. When Village Roadshow decided to exit India after the events of 2001, Bijli continued to steer the company and pursued independent expansion.

To fund growth, he led an initial public offering in January 2006 that raised ₹125 crore. Under his leadership PVR expanded into a national multiplex chain. Bijli also ventured into film production, with credits including Taare Zameen Par (2007) and Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2008), though the company later refocused more tightly on its exhibition business following mixed results from other productions.

PVR grew through organic development and strategic acquisitions. In August 2018 the company acquired a majority stake in SPI Cinemas — a deal reported at around ₹850 crore — to increase its screen presence in India. Bijli’s work in exhibition earned him industry recognition, including being named Asian Exhibitor of the Year at CineAsia 2017.

Personal and family

Bijli married his high school sweetheart, Selena, in April 1990. The couple have three children: two daughters, Niharika and Naina, and a son, Aamer. His father, Krishan Mohan Bijli, was the owner of Amritsar Transport Co. and purchased Priya cinema in 1978. Ajay has a brother named Sanjeev.

Public profile

Bijli has been a visible figure in India’s cinema industry for decades. He is often associated with PVR’s evolution from a single-screen cinema into a nationwide multiplex brand and has been a frequent participant in industry forums. Publicly shared personal interests include basketball, cricket, and fitness. He has described business influences and film preferences in interviews and lists figures such as J.R.D. Tata and historical leaders among his favorites.

Notable challenges and controversies

Bijli navigated several setbacks in the 1990s, including the death of his father in 1992 and significant losses to the family transport business after a fire in 1994. His name also appeared in the Panama Papers in June 2018 in connection with offshore company ownership, a matter that attracted public attention.

Latest updates

In recent years PVR continued to grow its footprint across India. The company’s acquisition of SPI Cinemas in August 2018 was a major expansion move, and Bijli remains identified with PVR’s ongoing development in exhibition. He received industry recognition for exhibition excellence in 2017.

Physical attributes

Published profiles list Bijli’s height as approximately 177 cm (about 5'10") and weight around 70 kg. His eye color is described as light brown and his hair as black.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Ajay Bijli, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Acquisition of SPI Cinemas (majority stake)

PVR acquired 71.69% of SPI Cinemas to expand its screen network in India; the deal was reported at approximately ₹850 crore.

2018
Film production credits

Produced films including Taare Zameen Par (2007) and Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2008).

2007-2008
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Career Highlights

  1. Transformed Priya cinema into a modern single-screen venue after renovations in 1991
  2. Co-founded Priya Village Roadshow (PVR) and launched one of India’s early multiplexes, PVR Anupam
  3. Led PVR’s IPO in January 2006 raising ₹125 crore
  4. Named Asian Exhibitor of the Year at CineAsia 2017
  5. Oversaw PVR’s acquisition of SPI Cinemas (2018)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ajay Bijli born?

Ajay Bijli was born on 9 February 1967.

What is Ajay Bijli known for?

Ajay Bijli is known for businessman.

What is Ajay Bijli’s marital status?

Ajay Bijli's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Ajay Bijli married to?

Ajay Bijli is publicly listed as married to Selena.