Amit Trivedi and Ajay Bijli on connection, collab and creating music

After putting his music on hold for two decades, Ajay Bijli, the owner of one of the country's major multiplex chains, began exploring music again two years ago. He felt he couldn’t carry the baggage of being a business owner, considering himself a newcomer in the music scene. Over a year ago, he collaborated with Amit Trivedi and they been working on a number of songs, and one of the songs came out so well that Amit decided to use in his own album.
Amit shared that he was unaware of Bijli's musical side - "There is so much music inside him. He even has a band. I sent him a scratch, and he came to the Bombay studio. When he started the first note - hanste hanste tham gaye - I was like, wow! He sounded flawless, singing with such ease. It was something I hadn’t expected."
Ajay, in turn, confessed his initial nerves and said,"Amit is being way too kind - he doesn’t know how nervous I was! The moment I got the scratch track, maine bahut mehnat kari. I told my teacher, ‘Santa, ab do hafte kahin nahi jaana. I’ll be back from the office every day around 5 or 6, and till my face turns blue, I’ll keep singing this song - I have to impress Amit!"
In a recent chat, Ajay Bijli and Amit Trivedi shared their love for music, their inspirations, and mutual admiration.

Recalling a funny incident, Ajay said, "As a first-time singer, I used to chase him a lot. Main phone karta tha 'Gaana ready kab hoga?’ Then one day, I got a message - ‘The song has come out really well, and I need to talk to you.’ Main London mein tha and thought, ‘Okay, but ‘I need to talk to you? What does this mean?’ Main ghabra gaya. I told my wife, ‘I think the song has come out so well that he wants another singer to sing it.’” (laughs) Main koi hafte ke baad aaya hoon. Monday morning - I’m supposed to run the company, but the first thing I do is tell my guy, “When am I having a conference call with Amit Trivedi?” I was a nervous wreck. The team was like, “But there is this work, ek cinema yahan khul raha hai, ek movie ka chakkar hai.” Maine kaha - "Achha, sab kuch ho jayega, pehle maine Amit se baat karni hai." When the call finally came, I was really nervous, like a kid. And then Amit offered to include the song in his own album.
Ajay Bijli told Amit, “The way you said - gaana bahut hi achha hai. I thought you’d say, ‘Arijit ko de dete hain. Isko de dete hain, usko de dete hain." (Both laugh)

Talking about how they connected, Amit shared, "Sometimes, you resonate with someone’s work - I'm still a huge fan of AR Rahman. Kahin na kahin woh energies aur vibrations match hoti hain. And with him being the owner of this multiplex chain, the moment you step into his cinema, you feel at home. You connect with that energy in some way, with what he’s created, and with what I’ve created. When two people come together in this way, a connection happens, which has happened here in a beautiful way. Some relationships are here to stay."
Ajay added, “I really enjoyed this experience. For me, this is a lifelong relationship with Amit. I love having fewer, strong relationships rather than many diluted ones. Main toh ghar bhi nahi jata kisi ke. Sometimes, my wife and I sit on a Friday night thinking, ‘Kisko phone karein? Kahan jayein?’ It’s a small circle, but I enjoy having less but very meaningful relationships.

Amit spoke about the power of positivity in his music - "I focus on the positive, happy side of life. The world is already stressful enough. Wohi cheez kyun dena? If someone is sad, why make them sadder? The intention is to spread joy, spread positivity."
Explaining his creative process, Amit continued, "Music is an artist’s expression. Work is an extension of your personality. Sometimes, a beautiful tune just pops up in my mind out of nowhere, and I think, ‘Wow, the world needs to hear this.’ It's not fair to keep it with myself. As creators, we are probably the chosen ones to share it. You create from passion, not for marketing, and that’s what gives it authenticity."

As both of them have been working in cinema, how do they think a song or score can change a scene? Bijli says,"Music has the incredible power to elevate storytelling. A well-chosen song or score can add layers to a scene - it brings out emotions that visuals alone might miss. It can make a sad scene heart-wrenching or turn a victory into a celebration. As someone in the entertainment and film business, I’ve seen how the right piece of music can entirely transform a moment on screen, creating an impact that lingers. It’s like giving a soul to the visuals; when the music and the scene are in sync, the experience becomes unforgettable."
Amit says,"The cinema medium belongs to the writer and director, no one else. The original idea, the germ, comes from them. It doesn't belong to anyone else. I’m just serving that vision through my expertise in music, like an actor serves it through their acting skills. I listen to the plot, and the music comes from the world the story is taking me to."

Talking about how he feels songs connect with the audience, Ajay Bijli says,"You know, music is one of those universal languages that speaks directly to the heart. I think it connects because it taps into emotions we all have, regardless of our backgrounds or knowledge. It can bring memories rushing back, transport you to another place, or even bring comfort. For me, music has always been about that emotional journey. It doesn’t matter if you know the technicalities - when a melody resonates, it’s like it was meant for you, and that’s the beauty of it. Music reaches us all, in a way that words sometimes can’t."
Playback singers are stars in their own right now, with some starting their own labels or doing live performances. Giving a peek into working on album, Ajay Bijli says,"Creating an album is a mix of vision, passion, and relentless fine-tuning. From finding the right collaborators to crafting each track to reflect an authentic emotion or theme, it’s incredibly rewarding and challenging! Right now, as I’m working with such talented musicians, I’m learning that every step is like piecing together a part of your soul. The journey itself is layered; it involves trial and error, constantly iterating until the sound feels right. I’m lucky to work with such talented people like Amit Trivedi, who bring their expertise and enthusiasm. An album is never just a project - it’s an experience for the artist and the listeners alike.

What makes a song or piece of music timeless? Is that something he thinks about when he is creating music? Ajay Bijli says,"Absolutely, it’s something I think about a lot. I feel a song becomes timeless when it captures an emotion that is universally relatable and stands true across generations. Songs like that carry a truth that doesn’t fade with time. While creating, there’s always a hope that the music will resonate beyond the moment, that it will touch listeners again and again. But it’s not something you can force - it’s more about being true to the feeling you want to convey. If that authenticity is there, people will come back to it, no matter how much time has passed.

Talking about how he handles the pressure to stay relevant in both music and film, ajay Bijli says,"Staying relevant is a balancing act of adapting to trends while staying true to your vision. I think it’s important to keep learning, to listen to new ideas, and to work with different talents who bring fresh perspectives. There’s also value in staying grounded; I make it a point to stay close to my roots and listen to what the audience wants. For me, it’s about evolving with time."