KKR has acquired a minority stake in BookMyShow, bringing one of the world’s largest private-equity investors into India’s rapidly expanding live entertainment and ticketing market. The financial details of the transaction, including the size of the stake and valuation, have not been disclosed. The investment gives BookMyShow a new global financial partner as the company expands beyond movie ticketing into concerts, festivals, sports and other live experiences.
The investment comes at an important point for BookMyShow. Its live-events business has grown rapidly, with revenue rising 66% to ₹756 crore in FY25, almost catching up with the company’s ₹828 crore online ticketing revenue. Overall revenue from operations rose 31.1% to ₹1,831.43 crore in FY25, while net profit reached about ₹192 crore. The deal also comes as competition intensifies, particularly after Zomato-backed District entered the entertainment and ticketing market.
KKR Invests In BookMyShow
KKR’s minority investment gives BookMyShow access to one of the world’s largest alternative investment platforms at a time when India’s live entertainment industry is entering a high-growth phase.
Neither KKR nor BookMyShow has disclosed the exact transaction value or the percentage stake acquired. The investment is therefore best viewed as a strategic minority investment rather than a change in control of the company.
Deal At A Glance
| Deal Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Investor | KKR |
| Target | BookMyShow |
| Investment type | Minority stake |
| Deal value | Not disclosed |
| Stake acquired | Not disclosed |
| Core businesses | Entertainment ticketing and live events |
| FY25 revenue from operations | ₹1,831.43 crore |
| FY25 net profit | About ₹192 crore |
| FY25 live-events revenue | ₹756 crore |
| FY25 online ticketing revenue | ₹828 crore |
The absence of a disclosed valuation means it is not possible to calculate the implied value of BookMyShow from the transaction. Earlier reports in 2024 had indicated that KKR was considering an investment of roughly $250 million-$300 million at a valuation of around ₹7,500 crore, but those figures related to an earlier proposed transaction and should not be treated as the valuation of the latest deal.
BookMyShow’s Live Events Business Is Growing Fast
The biggest attraction for investors is likely to be the transformation of BookMyShow from a traditional movie-ticketing platform into a broader entertainment company.
Live-events revenue increased to ₹756 crore in FY25 from ₹455 crore a year earlier. That represents growth of roughly 66%.
Live Events Revenue Growth
| Fiscal Year | Live Events Revenue | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| FY24 | ₹455 crore | — |
| FY25 | ₹756 crore | ~66% |
Revenue Growth Visual
FY24
₹455 crore
██████████████████
FY25
₹756 crore
██████████████████████████████
The live-events business added approximately ₹301 crore of revenue in one year, demonstrating how quickly the segment has scaled.
BookMyShow’s live-entertainment portfolio includes concerts, music festivals, sports and theatrical experiences. Properties associated with the company include Lollapalooza India, Bandland, major international artist tours and sporting events.
Ticketing Remains A Major Revenue Engine
Despite the rapid growth of live events, online ticketing remains BookMyShow’s largest revenue segment.
The company generated ₹828 crore from online ticketing in FY25, compared with ₹741 crore in FY24. Live events, meanwhile, reached ₹756 crore.
This creates an interesting shift in the company’s revenue mix: live entertainment is no longer a small side business but is approaching the scale of its established ticketing operation.
BookMyShow Revenue Mix
| Segment | FY24 Revenue | FY25 Revenue | FY25 Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online ticketing | ₹741 crore | ₹828 crore | ~12% |
| Live events | ₹455 crore | ₹756 crore | ~66% |
| Combined | ₹1,196 crore | ₹1,584 crore | ~32% |
FY25 Segment Comparison
Online ticketing
₹828 crore ████████████████████████████████
Live events
₹756 crore █████████████████████████████
The two segments together generated approximately ₹1,584 crore, accounting for the overwhelming majority of the company’s reported operating revenue.
BookMyShow’s Overall Revenue Crossed ₹1,800 Crore
BookMyShow’s overall business also delivered strong growth in FY25.
Revenue from operations increased to ₹1,831.43 crore from ₹1,396.86 crore in FY24, representing growth of approximately 31.1%. Total income increased to ₹1,869.35 crore from ₹1,429.92 crore.
Financial Performance
| Metric | FY24 | FY25 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue from operations | ₹1,396.86 crore | ₹1,831.43 crore | +31.1% |
| Total income | ₹1,429.92 crore | ₹1,869.35 crore | +30.7% |
| Net profit | — | ~₹192 crore | — |
| Live-events revenue | ₹455 crore | ₹756 crore | +66% |
| Online ticketing revenue | ₹741 crore | ₹828 crore | ~12% |
The figures indicate that BookMyShow’s growth is being driven increasingly by the live-events economy rather than only by conventional cinema ticketing.
India’s Live Entertainment Market Is Expanding
KKR’s investment arrives as Indian consumers increasingly spend on experiences rather than physical products.
An EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow report released in March 2026 estimated India’s live-events market at around ₹13,000 crore. The report also found that 78% of Indian consumers prefer experiences over products.
India’s Experience Economy
₹13,000 crore
Estimated Indian live-events market
78%
Consumers preferring experiences over products
59%
Live-event attendees recalling brands engaged with on-ground
55%
Attendees reporting higher purchase intent after event interactions
These figures show why live entertainment is increasingly attractive not just to ticketing platforms but also to investors, advertisers and consumer brands.
Why KKR May Be Interested In BookMyShow
BookMyShow sits at the intersection of several attractive trends: digital ticketing, live entertainment, premium experiences and India’s growing discretionary spending.
Its position across the entertainment value chain also provides opportunities beyond ticket commissions.
The company can generate revenue through ticketing, event management, sponsorships, advertising, merchandise and other on-ground services.
BookMyShow’s Business Model Is Diversifying
Movie Ticketing
↓
Live Concerts
↓
Music Festivals
↓
Sports & Entertainment
↓
Brand Partnerships
↓
Event Management & Experiential Entertainment
This diversification can reduce reliance on any single entertainment category.
Coldplay And Large Concerts Have Changed The Market
India’s concert economy has become significantly more visible following major international tours.
BookMyShow was the exclusive ticketing partner for Coldplay’s India concerts during the band’s Music of the Spheres World Tour. The company has also worked on events involving artists and properties including Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, Backstreet Boys, Post Malone and U2.
Large concerts can create substantial economic activity beyond ticket sales, including spending on hotels, airlines, restaurants, transportation, merchandise and local services.
That makes live entertainment increasingly relevant to investors looking for exposure to India’s broader consumption and experience economy.
Competition Is Getting Tougher
BookMyShow’s investment story is unfolding against increasing competition.
Zomato-backed District has expanded into entertainment and ticketing after Zomato acquired Paytm’s movie and event-ticketing business in 2024. Earlier reports described BookMyShow as having a dominant position in online ticketing, with District seeking to build market share.
The competitive landscape means BookMyShow cannot rely solely on its established brand.
Competitive Landscape
| Platform | Key Entertainment Focus |
|---|---|
| BookMyShow | Movies, concerts, live events, sports, festivals |
| District | Movies, dining and entertainment |
| Other ticketing platforms | Events, sports and niche entertainment |
For BookMyShow, the response has been to strengthen its live-events capabilities and create proprietary experiences rather than compete only on ticket-booking technology.
KKR Investment Could Accelerate Expansion
The new investment could give BookMyShow additional capital and strategic support as it expands its live-events portfolio.
Live entertainment is more capital-intensive than conventional digital ticketing because companies can take on event-production, artist, marketing, venue and logistics costs before revenue is fully realised.
BookMyShow has previously acknowledged that artist fees, marketing, logistics and on-ground execution can put pressure on margins, particularly for newer or large-scale events.
Where Additional Capital Could Go
| Area | Potential Use |
|---|---|
| Concerts | Larger international and domestic tours |
| Festivals | Expansion of proprietary event properties |
| Technology | Ticketing and customer-experience improvements |
| Marketing | Audience acquisition and event promotion |
| International markets | Expansion of entertainment operations |
| Event production | Scaling end-to-end live-event capabilities |
The investment does not guarantee that all of these areas will receive additional funding, but they represent potential strategic opportunities for BookMyShow.
BookMyShow Already Has A Broad Geographic Footprint
The company’s business has expanded beyond its original movie-ticketing roots.
BookMyShow operates across more than 700 towns and cities in India and has also expanded internationally into markets including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the UAE and Sri Lanka.
BookMyShow’s Evolution
| Stage | Business Focus |
|---|---|
| Early phase | Online movie ticketing |
| Expansion phase | Cinema and entertainment discovery |
| Diversification | Live events and sports |
| Current strategy | End-to-end entertainment experiences |
| International presence | India + select overseas markets |
This broader platform gives KKR exposure to India’s entertainment consumption as well as a company that has already developed significant consumer recognition.
What The Investment Means For Existing Shareholders
Because the transaction is a minority investment, KKR is not taking control of BookMyShow.
The exact impact on existing shareholders will depend on the structure of the transaction, including whether the investment involves primary capital entering the company, a secondary share sale by existing investors, or a combination of the two.
The transaction could nevertheless strengthen BookMyShow’s shareholder base by adding a large global institutional investor with experience across technology, consumer and growth businesses.
Existing investors include Network18, Accel, Elevation Capital, Stripes Group and TPG Growth.
The Bigger Picture
KKR’s investment in BookMyShow comes as India’s entertainment industry moves from a cinema-led model toward a broader experience economy. BookMyShow’s numbers show how quickly this transition is taking place: live-events revenue jumped 66% to ₹756 crore in FY25, approaching the ₹828 crore generated by online ticketing.
For KKR, the investment provides exposure to a platform positioned across ticketing, concerts, festivals and other live experiences. For BookMyShow, the deal provides another global financial partner as competition intensifies and the company seeks to scale an increasingly capital-intensive live-events business.
Looking Ahead
BookMyShow’s next phase will likely depend on how effectively it converts India’s growing appetite for live experiences into repeatable and profitable events. The company has already built a strong portfolio of concerts and festivals, but larger events also bring higher artist fees, marketing costs and execution risks. KKR’s involvement could provide additional financial and strategic capacity as BookMyShow seeks to expand this business.
The broader opportunity is significant. India’s live-events market is estimated at ₹13,000 crore, while consumer preference is increasingly shifting toward experiences. If that trend continues, BookMyShow could evolve further from a ticketing platform into a comprehensive entertainment and experiences company, with KKR’s minority investment potentially helping accelerate that transformation.
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