KKR Invests in BookMyShow to Fuel Live Entertainment Growth

Investment firm KKR has acquired a minority stake in live entertainment platform BookMyShow, in a move set to support the company'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.

BookMyShow Live Emerges as a Key Growth Driver

In recent times, BookMyShow Live has emerged as a key component of the company's overall business growth. The company's live entertainment division operates across the entire value chain - from talent and IP acquisition to production, promotion, partnerships and audience development.

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. He added that KKR is pleased to support the company as it leads the next phase of growth in India's out-of-home entertainment sector, and believes 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. Tanna said KKR looks forward to combining its deep local knowledge with its global investment experience and network to support BookMyShow's next stage of transformation.

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 in the country.

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KKR Expands Its India and Global Media Portfolio

With this investment, KKR has further expanded its portfolio across a range of sectors in India, which now includes Medicover India, a multi-speciality hospital chain; Lighthouse Learning, a leading Indian education services provider; Vini Cosmetics, a personal care and beauty products company; Healthcare Global Enterprises, a leading oncology hospital chain; Darwinbox, an HR technology platform; and Rebel Foods, an internet restaurant company.

BookMyShow also adds to KKR's global portfolio of media and entertainment investments, which includes Internet Brands, ByteDance, Chord Music Partners, Epic Games, PlayOnSports, OverDrive, Superstruct and Simon & Schuster.

Ashish Hemrajani, Founder and CEO of BookMyShow, said the company is delighted to welcome KKR as an investor, adding that its global perspective, deep expertise and strong understanding of consumer businesses will be invaluable as BookMyShow enters its next phase of growth. He noted that the timing of the investment is particularly significant, given the company's expanded presence across the live entertainment landscape and the fast-growing opportunity within India's broader entertainment economy. Hemrajani also expressed gratitude to BookMyShow's longstanding investors - Network18 (part of Reliance Industries Limited), Accel Partners, Elevation Capital, Stripes Group and TPG - for their continued support.