DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

From decking up a single-screen cinema hall back in 1990, to a successful chain of multiplexes viz. PVR. It has been more than a decade since he has been doing something or the other in the field of movies – the one thing that interests him the most. In December 2007, with the release of Taare Zameen Par, an Aamir Khan Production,

he will have launched his own motion picture banner. The person dubbed as the Multiplex Baron, Ajay Bijli, spoke to DARE on what drives him.

Looking back, what were the factors that helped you get where you are now?

I am a very God fearing and a God loving person. I would literally say that everybody works very hard, but I truly believe that there is somebody up there, divine intervention, which really helps you. It makes sure that you are able to tell what is right from wrong, and try to utilize your mind to take some sensible decisions. So that is one part of it, which I give a lot of credit to. The other is of course, again in order of priority, the encouragement that my parents gave to me to do what I felt like doing. We had a transport business that I could have easily joined. But my Dad had also bought a cinema property in 1978 called Priya. So when I could not find my feet in the transport business, he was very open. He said, “Ajay, do what you feel like.”

Then, in 1990, I tried to upgrade the cinema, added some new sound equipment etc. As luck would have it, people liked the idea, and they said that yes there is a positioning for a Hollywood cinema, which has got good seats, good sound and everything. From there, I was very keen that my company should not become a mom and pop operation. I should have a business that is something I enjoy, and make it scalable. In India, there is inspiration all around. There are some great business people, who I looked up to. Once it was decided that I am going to be a businessman, I said to myself, “Who are the people who I would like to admire and aspire to be like?” There is the Tatas, Birlas, Sunil Mittal, NR Narayanamurthy, Azim Premji… there are so many inspirational business people that you see around. Then you say, “Okay, this is my chosen field. Can I also do something in my chosen field, and make a difference.” I think, that is one of the things that drives anybody.

You need to be focused, on what you feel you have a connect with. My Mom, who is a huge inspiration, says, “If you do something with sincerity, and with passion and integrity, chances are that you will get recognized. But the moment you are fooling yourself, you will not get the results.” I still do not think, that there is a big deal that has happened. I still think that the PVR brand, and our team has got far more potential to do many more things than what we have achieved so far.

At the time when Indian consumers were grumbling about the state of movie halls and rise in ticket prices, how did you gather the courage to go against the pattern?
See, I was just depending myself on what I enjoyed doing. That was one big factor. And second is that, in the west, we saw the multiplex culture being accepted very well by the audiences. Also, I saw the Indian consumer is mad about movies. So, if you put everything together, I felt that the Indian consumer is not going to let me down. If I find the right location, if I make a multiplex which is better than, or at par, with what is happening internationally, and play movies while giving good customer service, chances are that people will be happy. It was nothing alien that was being introduced to the Indian consumer. They are already used to watching movies. It was just that the format in which they were watching movies were a little outdated.

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