KKR Invests in Indian Ticketing and Live Entertainment Platform BookMyShow

KKR (NYSE:KKR) has signed definitive agreements for funds it manages to acquire a minority stake in Indian ticketing and live entertainment platform BookMyShow.

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Investment will accelerate the company’s live entertainment ambitions and build on its pioneering role in bringing global artists and marquee productions to Indian audiences.

MUMBAI, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KKR, a leading global investment firm, and BookMyShow (the ‘Company’), one of India’s leading entertainment destinations, today announced the signing of definitive agreements under which funds managed by KKR will acquire a minority stake in the Company. KKR’s investment will support BookMyShow’s next phase of growth as it scales its live entertainment business and deepens its full-stack offering across India.

Established in 2007, BookMyShow has evolved from a ticketing platform into a full-stack entertainment company, combining technology, consumer reach and deep industry capabilities across movies, live entertainment and experiences. A key part of this evolution has been BookMyShow Live, the Company’s live entertainment experiences division, which operates across the value chain - from talent and IP acquisition to production, promotion, partnerships, and audience development. Through sustained investment in the ecosystem, BookMyShow Live has built the capabilities and scale to bring increasingly ambitious entertainment experiences to India, while contributing to the development of a more robust and commercially viable live entertainment market.

KKR’s investment reflects its conviction in India’s entertainment sector and in BookMyShow’s ability to drive its next phase of growth, powered by rising discretionary spending, a large and young consumer base, and growing demand for world-class live experiences. With expansive consumer reach, technology and entertainment capabilities, the Company is positioned to continue its growth in a fast-maturing market.

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 & CEO, BookMyShow, said, “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 (part of Reliance Industries Limited), Accel Partners, Elevation Capital, Stripes Group, and TPG for their continued support.”

The transaction marks KKR’s latest private equity investment in India, where KKR has made investments across a range of industries and sectors including Medicover India, a multi-speciality hospital; Lighthouse Learning, a leading Indian education services provider; Vini Cosmetics, a leading personal care and beauty products company; Healthcare Global Enterprises, a leading oncology hospital chain; Darwinbox, a leading HR technology platform; Rebel Foods, an internet restaurant company. BookMyShow adds to KKR’s global portfolio of Media and Entertainment investments, including Internet Brands; ByteDance; Chord Music Partners; Epic Games; PlayOnSports; OverDrive; Superstruct; and Simon & Schuster.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Additional details of the transaction are not disclosed.

Avendus Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for BookMyShow, while Trilegal acted as legal advisor.

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About BookMyShow

Launched in 2007, BookMyShow, owned and operated by Bigtree Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (founded in 1999), is one of India's leading entertainment destinations with global operations and the one-stop shop for every entertainment need. The firm is present in over 700 towns and cities in India and works with partners across the industry to provide unmatched entertainment experiences to millions of customers. Over the years, the company has evolved from a purely online ticketing platform for movies across 7,000 plus screens, to end-to-end management of live entertainment events including music concerts, live performances, theatricals, sports and more, all accomplished at par with global standards. Some of the key properties that BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment experiential division of BookMyShow, has brought to its markets over the past few years include Lollapalooza India, U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour, NBA’s debut games in India, Disney’s Aladdin, Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR as also international artists such as Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Travis Scott, Linkin’ Park, John Mayer, Guns N’ Roses, Post Malone, Def Leppard, Justin Bieber to name a few.

BookMyShow is invested in providing the best user experience, whether on-ground or online and to that effect, launched BookMyShow Stream, India’s largest home-grown transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) platform hosting award-winning and critically acclaimed content from around the world, complementing its cinemas business. BookMyShow also houses India’s most extensive organic reviews and ratings engine for movies and has driven technology innovations, such as the M-ticket and Movie Mode, impacting tens of millions of users and the industry at large. With continued support from marquee investors like TPG Growth, Stripes Group, Elevation Capital (formerly SAIF Partners), Accel and Network18 (part of Reliance Industries Limited), and now KKR, BookMyShow has constantly demonstrated category leadership, growing beyond India with operations in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, UAE and Sri Lanka. BookMyShow is also committed to society at large, by way of BookAChange and BookMyShow Foundation, which support special causes to enrich the lives of the less fortunate across India through entertainment-led experiences.

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About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260818473527/en/

Media Contacts
For BookMyShow
media@bookmyshow.com

For KKR
Wei Jun Ong
+65 6922 5813
WeiJun.Ong@kkr.com

Source: KKR

Key Terms

minority stake financial

An ownership share in a company that is less than 50%, so the holder cannot unilaterally control management or major decisions. It matters to investors because a minority stake lets you share in profits, dividends and upside if the company grows, but limits your ability to influence strategy or protect your interests; think of it like owning a slice of a pie—you benefit from the taste and value, but you don’t decide how the whole pie is made.

definitive agreements regulatory

Definitive agreements are the final, legally binding contracts that set the exact terms of a corporate deal—such as a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or major financing. They matter to investors because signing them turns rough plans into concrete obligations that determine price, timing, required approvals and what happens if the deal falls through; think of them as the signed purchase contract in a house sale that makes the deal official and enforceable.

private equity financial

Private equity involves investing money directly into private companies or buying out public companies to make them private, with the goal of improving their performance and increasing their value over time. For investors, it offers an opportunity to earn returns by helping companies grow or restructure, often requiring a longer-term commitment and a higher level of involvement than typical stock investments.

regulatory approvals regulatory

Regulatory approvals are official permissions from government agencies that a company needs before launching a new product, service, or business activity. They matter because without this approval, the company might not be allowed to operate legally or sell its products, similar to how a driver needs a license to legally drive a car.