Book My Show
Indian online ticketing platform
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BookMyShow is an Indian online entertainment ticketing platform headquartered in Mumbai. It is operated by Big Tree Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.[1] Founded in 1999 as a software service provider for the cinema industry, it launched its consumer-facing ticketing website in 2007.[2] The platform provides booking services for films, live concerts, theater, and sporting events across India and parts of Southeast Asia.[3][4]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, E-commerce |
| Genre | Online ticketing |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
Area served | India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka |
Key people | Ashish Hemrajani (Founder & CEO), Parikshit Dar (Co-Founder & Director) |
| Revenue |  Rs.1,430 crore (2024) |
| Rs.109 crore (2024) | |
| Owner | Big Tree Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. |
| Website | in |
History
Big Tree Entertainment was established in 1999 by Ashish Hemrajani,[5] Rajesh Balpande, and Parikshit Dar.[6] Hemrajani founded the company after observing online ticketing models in South Africa.[7] The firm initially provided back-end inventory management software for cinema exhibitors and offered telephone-based booking services with home delivery.[8]
The company officially launched the Book My Show brand in 2007, pivoting toward a direct-to-consumer online model. From the late 2010s, Book My Show broadened its business beyond cinema ticketing into live entertainment, including large-scale music concerts and festivals. Subsequently, the company began serving as a promoter and ticketing partner for international music events in India, including concerts by artists such as Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, U2, Guns N' Roses, and Travis Scott.[9][10] In 2013, it secured a five-year distribution agreement with PVR Cinemas,[11] and by 2014, the platform served approximately 200 Indian cities.[12][13] During this period, the company was named "Startup of the Year" at the Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence.[14]
Acquisitions and regional expansion (2013–2023)
Expansion into regional and vertical markets was primarily driven by acquisitions. Key purchases included TicketGreen in 2013,[15] social media analytics firm Eventifier in 2015,[16] and the sports engagement platform Fantain in 2016.[17] Between 2017 and 2019, the company further diversified its technology stack by acquiring Hyderabad-based MastiTickets,[18] the Pune-based DIY event platform Townscript,[19], the digital media firm nFusion[20] and partnering with SPI Cinemas, a regional cinema chain.[21] During these years, the platform expanded its inventory to include live comedy, theater, and major sports leagues such as the Indian Premier League.[22][23][24]
In December 2019, the company reorganized its international operations, spinning off its Southeast Asian business into a separate Singapore-based entity. This division, which manages activities in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka,[25] subsequently secured funding from Jungle Ventures to support regional growth.[26]
In 2023, it partnered with Live Nation Entertainment to host the Lollapalooza music festival in Mumbai, marking the festival’s first edition in Asia.[9][27]
Controversies
Coldplay ticket resale concerns (2024–2025)
In late 2024, Book My Show received public attention following reports of tickets for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour in Mumbai appearing on unauthorised third-party resale platforms at higher prices. The matter led to scrutiny by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which initiated a preliminary enquiry (PE) and summoned company representatives, including chief executive officer Ashish Hemrajani, as part of the process.[28][10]
In February 2025, the EOW closed the preliminary enquiry, stating that it found no evidence of manipulation or internal irregularities in the sale of tickets for the concert. The EOW also found no evidence of the use of automated ticket-purchasing software (bots) by the platform.[29]
Funding
The company has raised capital through several venture capital rounds. Key investors have included Accel, SAIF Partners,[30] Stripes Group,[31] TPG Growth and Jungle Ventures. In 2018, a Series D funding round led by TPG Growth valued the company at approximately $800 million.[32][33]
Social initiatives
In 2014, the company established a social wing named BookASmile, which was rebranded as BookAChange in 2025. The program supports music and performing arts education for disadvantaged communities and is primarily funded through voluntary user contributions during the ticket checkout process.[34]