In the bustling heart of Mumbai’s vibrant Bollywood scene, where cutthroat competition defines success, few manage to truly make it ‘big’ – and Boloy Kumar Doloi is undoubtedly one of them. From Guwahati, Assam, to the glamorous world of cinema, Doloi’s journey feels like something straight out of a movie.
Sound Engineer and Mixer Doloi chose to follow an uncharted path that many would shy away from, embracing every failure along the way. He wore those setbacks like a badge of honour, knowing that each one brought him closer to his dream.
Now, with over 20 years of experience and more than 200 feature films, documentaries, and biopics under his belt, Doloi is living the Bollywood dream. A self-proclaimed filmophile, his work spans multiple languages – Hindi, English, and beyond. He has worked with eminent filmmakers like Mira Nair, Majid Majidi, SS Rajamouli, Shamim Sarif, and many others from around the globe.
Recently, he was honoured with the prestigious Best Sound Mixing Award at the NEXA IIFA Awards 2025 for his exceptional work on Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Kill. He shared the award with Rahul Karpe. For Doloi, this isn’t just a career; it’s the realization of a dream, achieved through resilience, passion, and a relentless pursuit of his craft.
“I moved to Mumbai way back in 2005. I was always drawn towards live music. I completed a diploma in Filmmaking and Audio Engineering in Mumbai and landed a job at a studio. My first film as a professional was Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai,” Doloi, an alumnus of Maharishi Vidya Mandir School, said.
Born to businessman and social worker Satyen and Minoti, Doloi shared, “I grew up in the Barowari area of Uzan Bazar. My parents were involved in social services, art, and culture. Since childhood, I had a knack for creation and innovation. Back in school, I had developed a Bell-o-phone, a modern-day video doorbell.”
Doloi has worked on several blockbuster films and web series such as RRR, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, Sabar Bonda, Paatal Lok, Sacred Games, Article 370, 12th Fail, Monica, O My Darling, Jolly LLB, Pagglait, ABCD, Deva, Khufiya, The Kashmir Files, Trial by Fire, Bulbbul, Stree, Pad Man, Berlin, Thackeray, Three of Us, Shershaah, and many more.
“I won my first IIFA for Vasan Bala’s Monica, O My Darling. There have been several ups and downs in my journey. I was previously associated with a company, but now I work as a freelancer. I have a partner, and we take on projects that we find interesting. I’ve built my career on perseverance, hard work, and personal rapport. Recently, Sabar Bonda made it to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival 2025. Earlier, I had won the Asian Academy Creative Award for Pagglait,” he said.
Doloi added, “There were many times when I felt like giving up. I come from a middle-class family, and my choice of career was unconventional 20 years ago. But as the filmy saying goes: Itni shiddat se maine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai, ke har zarra ne mujhe tumse milane ki saazish ki hai (When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it). I didn’t want a traditional career and a regular life. When you truly want to achieve something, you will find a way.”
When asked which director he enjoyed working with the most, he promptly replied, “It’s unfair to choose. Sound mixing comes at a later stage in the filmmaking process, after all the teams have contributed their best to visually create and assemble everything. Our job is to step in at that point and make the film feel authentic. We need a minimum of 30-40 days to complete the sound engineering and mixing. I have to look at every film from a fresh perspective, ignoring past experiences. It feels great when your work gets recognized.”
Speaking about SS Rajamouli’s RRR and the song “Naatu Naatu” by MM Keeravani, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, the re-recording mixer shared that it took almost six months to perfect everything, with each day presenting a new demand. Reflecting on the process, he mentioned that every day felt like a new challenge, but the team was confident about scoring a perfect ten.
When asked how Mumbai is treating him, Doloi said, “Mumbai is known as the city of dreams, and it can be rightly said that I am living my dream. You must know what you want in life. Once you find out, you need to channel all your energy towards it. I don’t have any survival or struggle stories from Mumbai because I’ve always considered each day a step towards my goal.”
The sound engineer shared that over the years, he has missed numerous personal and family engagements but has accepted it as “part of the job profile.” “I’ve missed several festivals and family gatherings over the years due to my work. I wouldn’t call them compromises; it’s simply the demand of my job. Along with awards and accolades, I’ve also faced personal setbacks, failures, and losses. Success doesn’t come easy.”
Though Doloi remains tight-lipped about his future projects, he offers a valuable tip for youngsters: to be confident in their potential, stay stubborn with their dreams, and be practical enough to recognize their own resilience and determination. He emphasizes that setbacks will come and go, but the key is to remain steady on the path and keep moving forward.
“If not in the studio, I enjoy bike rides. Biking and life share a beautiful connection – both are about balance, freedom, and pushing boundaries. Just like life, biking is a journey where the road may be bumpy, but the thrill of the ride makes every challenge worthwhile. The wind in your face and the rhythm of the wheels remind you to stay in the moment, embrace the journey, and keep moving forward no matter the distance or difficulty. Like life, biking is about finding joy in the ride itself, not just in the destination,” Doloi summed up.
