KKR Takes Minority Stake in BookMyShow to Boost Live-Entertainment Expansion

KKR has agreed to acquire a minority stake in BookMyShow, India’s largest online ticketing and live‑entertainment platform, in a move that could accelerate the company’s push into out‑of‑home events.

The investment, channeled through funds managed by the U.S. private‑equity firm, will back BookMyShow’s next growth phase. While the financial terms and the exact size of the stake remain undisclosed, the capital is intended to help the platform scale its live‑entertainment arm and deepen its full‑stack offering across the country.

BookMyShow began in 2007 as a movie‑ticketing service launched by Bigtree Entertainment, a company founded in 1999. Over the past decade, the platform has expanded from cinema tickets to a comprehensive entertainment hub that sells tickets for movies, sports, concerts and other events. It now operates in more than 700 towns and cities across India and handles ticketing for over 7,000 screens. Internationally, the company maintains offices in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the UAE and Sri Lanka.

A key driver of BookMyShow’s growth has been its live‑entertainment division, BookMyShow Live. The division manages the entire value chain—from talent and intellectual‑property acquisition to production, promotion, partnerships and audience development. It has brought a roster of global acts to India, including Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Travis Scott, Linkin Park, Guns N’ Roses, Justin Bieber, U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour and Post Malone. Other highlights include Lollapalooza India, the NBA’s inaugural games in India, Disney’s Aladdin and Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR.

According to the press release, KKR’s capital will help BookMyShow scale its live‑entertainment business and deepen its full‑stack offering across the country. KKR sees India’s entertainment market as a high‑growth area driven by rising discretionary spending, a large young consumer base and increasing demand for global‑quality experiences. The investment aligns with KKR’s broader media and entertainment portfolio, which includes stakes in Internet Brands, ByteDance, Epic Games and Simon & Schuster.

BookMyShow’s existing investors are Network18 (part of Reliance Industries), Accel Partners, Elevation Capital, Stripes Group and TPG. Avendus Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor and Trilegal was the legal advisor for the transaction. The deal is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Akshay Tanna, Partner and Head of India Private Equity at KKR, said, “BookMyShow has been a pioneer in delivering high‑quality entertainment experiences in India. We are pleased to support BookMyShow as it continues to lead the next phase of growth in India’s out‑of‑home entertainment sector. We believe BookMyShow will play an important role in advancing India’s ambition to become a global entertainment hub and a premier destination for leading artists and acts from around the world. We look forward to combining our deep local knowledge with our global investment experience and network to support BookMyShow in its next stage of transformation and further elevate the world‑class experiences it delivers to audiences across India.”

Ashish Hemrajani, Founder and CEO of BookMyShow, added, “We are delighted to welcome KKR as an investor in BookMyShow. Their global perspective, deep expertise and strong understanding of consumer businesses will be invaluable as we enter the next phase of our journey. The timing of this investment is particularly exciting, as we have significantly expanded our presence across the live entertainment landscape and are seeing the opportunity for India’s entertainment economy grow like never before. We are also grateful to our longstanding investors Network18, Accel Partners, Elevation Capital, Stripes Group, and TPG for their continued support.”

The transaction marks KKR’s latest private‑equity investment in India, following prior stakes in Medicover India, Lighthouse Learning, Vini Cosmetics, Healthcare Global Enterprises, Darwinbox and Rebel Foods. With the new partnership, BookMyShow is positioned to accelerate its live‑event portfolio and further integrate its digital and physical entertainment offerings.

At present, the deal is pending regulatory clearance. Once approved, KKR’s investment is expected to provide the capital and strategic guidance needed for BookMyShow to expand its live‑entertainment reach and strengthen its position as India’s leading entertainment platform.