BookMyShow is one of India’s leading entertainment-ticketing platforms. People use its website and app to book tickets for movies, concerts, plays, comedy shows, sports matches, festivals and other live experiences.
The company does not own most of the cinemas or venues displayed on its platform. It connects customers with theatre chains, event organisers, artists, sports organisations and venue operators. BookMyShow manages ticket discovery, seat selection, digital payments, booking confirmation and customer support.
BookMyShow mainly earns through online ticketing charges and commissions. It has also developed a large live-events business in which it produces, promotes or manages concerts, festivals and entertainment shows. Advertising, food and beverage sales, streaming, corporate bookings and event-management services create additional income.
BookMyShow Company Quick Overview
| Particular | Details |
| Brand name | BookMyShow |
| Operating company | Big Tree Entertainment Private Limited |
| Company founded | 1999 |
| BookMyShow platform launched | 2007 |
| Founders | Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar and Rajesh Balpande |
| Headquarters | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Founder and CEO | Ashish Hemrajani |
| Industry | Entertainment ticketing and live events |
| Core business model | Online ticketing marketplace and event production |
| Main services | Movies, concerts, sports, plays, comedy and activities |
| Streaming service | BookMyShow Stream |
| FY2025 operating revenue | Approximately ₹1,831 crore |
| FY2025 total income | Approximately ₹1,869 crore |
| FY2025 net profit | Approximately ₹192.5 crore |
Big Tree Entertainment was established in 1999, while the BookMyShow ticketing platform was launched in 2007. Ashish Hemrajani leads the company as founder and CEO, with Parikshit Dar managing technology and Rajesh Balpande associated with finance.
What Is the BookMyShow Business Model?
BookMyShow follows a two-sided marketplace model. On one side are customers looking for entertainment. On the other side are cinemas, event organisers, sports bodies, artists and venues that need to sell tickets.
The platform provides the technology required to display schedules, manage seat availability, accept payments and issue digital tickets. Customers receive a convenient booking experience, while entertainment businesses gain access to BookMyShow’s audience and ticketing infrastructure.
BookMyShow also follows an event-production model through BookMyShow Live. In this business, it may become more deeply involved in arranging artists, venues, production, marketing, ticketing and event operations.
Online ticketing remained its largest individual revenue segment in FY2025, while rapidly expanding live events became almost equally important.
How Does BookMyShow Make Money?
1. Convenience Fees Paid by Customers
BookMyShow charges an internet-handling or convenience fee when a customer books eligible tickets through its website or app.
The fee is generally added to the ticket price before payment. Its amount can vary according to the cinema, event, number of tickets, location and commercial arrangement.
For example, if a cinema ticket costs ₹250, the customer may pay an additional convenience fee and applicable taxes. The ₹250 ticket amount mainly belongs to the cinema or ticket provider, while BookMyShow earns from the convenience fee and its other agreed charges.
BookMyShow’s official offers and booking conditions clearly state that convenience or internet-handling fees may be payable in addition to ticket prices.
2. Commissions from Cinemas and Event Organisers
BookMyShow can earn a commission or transaction fee for every eligible ticket sold through its platform.
Cinema chains and independent theatres benefit because BookMyShow provides digital seat selection, payment collection, ticket confirmation and access to a large number of potential customers.
For live events, the company may charge organisers a percentage of ticket sales, a fixed ticketing fee or another service charge. The exact arrangement depends on the event and agreement.
This revenue is separate from the convenience fee charged to customers. BookMyShow may therefore earn from both sides of a transaction in certain booking arrangements.
3. Live Event Production
BookMyShow has expanded beyond serving only as a ticketing intermediary. Through BookMyShow Live, it produces, promotes and manages concerts, festivals, comedy tours and other large entertainment events.
Its live-events income grew from approximately ₹455 crore in FY2024 to ₹756 crore in FY2025. This growth was supported by a larger schedule of concerts, festivals and comedy shows.
When BookMyShow is involved as an organiser or producer, it can earn through:
- Ticket sales
- Event-management fees
- Sponsorship agreements
- Brand partnerships
- Food and beverage sales
- Merchandise and other event income
However, this model carries greater financial risk than simple ticketing. BookMyShow may have to pay artist fees, venue rent, production expenses, security, marketing and event staff before knowing whether every ticket will be sold.
4. Advertising and Sponsored Promotions
Movie producers, streaming platforms, brands and event organisers can advertise through BookMyShow.
Advertising options may include homepage banners, sponsored listings, promoted events, video campaigns and customised brand placements.
A film producer can pay to promote an upcoming release to users interested in similar movies. An event organiser can purchase greater visibility when launching concert tickets.
BookMyShow has a dedicated advertising platform for brands that want to reach audiences interested in movies and live entertainment.
Advertising can provide attractive margins because the company does not need to purchase a ticket or organise an event merely to display a promotion.
5. Food and Beverage Orders
Customers can sometimes pre-order popcorn, drinks and other refreshments while booking cinema tickets.
The cinema prepares and supplies the food, but BookMyShow facilitates its selection and payment. It may receive a commission, technology fee or share of the transaction under its agreement with the cinema operator.
Food and beverage orders increase the total value of each booking. A customer who purchases two tickets may also add a popcorn-and-drink package, allowing BookMyShow and the cinema to earn more from the same transaction.
Financial reports show that food and beverage sales form part of BookMyShow’s additional operating income outside ticketing and live events.
6. BookMyShow Stream
BookMyShow Stream is a transactional video-on-demand service. Customers can buy or rent individual movies rather than paying for a monthly subscription.
A rented movie is available for a limited period, while a purchased title generally remains accessible under the applicable platform conditions.
BookMyShow keeps an agreed portion of the amount paid by the viewer and shares the remaining amount with the producer, distributor or content-rights owner.
The service also offers selected movie bundles. Users pay only for the films they choose to rent or purchase.
7. Corporate Bookings and Vouchers
BookMyShow Business provides entertainment products for companies.
Businesses can purchase movie or event vouchers for employees, customers and promotional campaigns. Companies may also use BookMyShow for group outings, corporate celebrations and customised events.
BookMyShow earns from voucher sales, bulk bookings, event-management services and commercial agreements with corporate clients.
Corporate orders can be valuable because a single company may purchase hundreds or thousands of vouchers instead of booking only a few tickets.
8. Event Ticketing and Technology Services
BookMyShow provides ticketing infrastructure to event organisers and venues.
The service can include event listings, online payments, digital tickets, entry scanning, customer data, sales reports and on-site ticketing support.
An organiser can list a show on BookMyShow instead of developing a separate ticketing website and payment system. BookMyShow may charge listing, ticketing, technology or event-support fees.
Its event-partner platform also provides organisers with reports and business insights to help them monitor ticket sales.
9. Brand and Payment Partnerships
Banks, card networks, digital-payment companies and consumer brands frequently partner with BookMyShow to offer ticket discounts or special access.
The partner may fund part or all of the discount as a marketing expense. BookMyShow benefits from increased transactions and may also receive sponsorship or campaign income.
For example, RuPay entered a partnership with BookMyShow and Big Tree Entertainment covering digital and on-ground engagement around live entertainment.
Ticket Value Is Not BookMyShow’s Revenue
The total value of tickets booked through BookMyShow should not be confused with company revenue.
Suppose a user purchases four concert tickets worth ₹2,000 each. The total ticket value is ₹8,000. Most of that amount may need to be transferred to the organiser, venue, artists, tax authorities and other parties.
BookMyShow records only the revenue it is entitled to retain, such as convenience fees, commissions, event income and service charges.
When BookMyShow itself produces an event, its reported revenue can include a larger portion of ticket and event income. It must then bear the associated production, artist and venue expenses.
Major Costs in the BookMyShow Business Model
BookMyShow’s important expenses include:
- Revenue shared with ticket and event partners
- Artist and performer fees
- Event production and venue costs
- Employee salaries
- Technology and payment infrastructure
- Advertising and promotional expenses
- Customer service and refund management
- Food, beverage and merchandise costs
- Security and entry-management systems
Operational costs reached approximately ₹1,127 crore in FY2025, partly because of the expansion of large live events. Employee-benefit expenses increased to about ₹264 crore, while total expenditure reached approximately ₹1,704 crore.
Latest Financial Performance
Big Tree Entertainment reported FY2024–25 operating revenue of approximately ₹1,831 crore, compared with ₹1,397 crore in the previous year.
Online ticketing contributed around ₹828 crore, while live events generated approximately ₹756 crore. Together, these businesses represented about 86% of operating revenue.
Total income reached approximately ₹1,869 crore, while consolidated net profit increased from about ₹109 crore to ₹192.5 crore.
Complete FY2025–26 financial results were not publicly available at the time of writing. Therefore, FY2024–25 remains the latest detailed financial year.
Why the BookMyShow Business Model Works
BookMyShow brings several entertainment categories together on one platform. Customers can discover a movie, concert, sports match or comedy show without visiting different booking websites.
Its large audience makes the platform valuable to cinemas and organisers. At the same time, more entertainment options give customers additional reasons to return.
Live-event production allows BookMyShow to earn more than a basic ticketing commission. However, ticketing remains valuable because it is more asset-light and carries less risk than organising an entire concert.
Challenges Facing BookMyShow
BookMyShow faces growing competition from District, cinema-owned apps and direct event-ticketing websites. District was strengthened after Zomato acquired Paytm’s movie and event-ticketing businesses.
The company is also affected by the success or failure of movie releases. Weak film schedules can reduce cinema-ticket transactions.
Live events carry financial and reputational risks. Artist cancellations, poor crowd management, technical failures or weak ticket sales can create substantial losses.
Convenience fees can also cause customer dissatisfaction, especially when the additional charge appears high compared with the original ticket price.
FAQs
Q1. Does BookMyShow decide the price of a movie ticket?
Usually, the cinema or ticket provider decides the base price. BookMyShow may add a convenience fee and applicable taxes to the transaction.
Q2. Does BookMyShow own cinema theatres?
No. It generally partners with cinema chains and independent theatres rather than owning the screens listed on its platform.
Q3. Does BookMyShow keep the complete concert ticket price?
Not necessarily. The money may be shared among the organiser, artist, venue, government and other partners. BookMyShow retains only the amount it is entitled to under the agreement.
Q4. Can an event organiser list a small show on BookMyShow?
Yes. Eligible organisers can apply to list events, activities and performances through BookMyShow’s event-partner services.
Q5. Is BookMyShow Stream a monthly subscription service?
No. It mainly follows a buy-or-rent model in which customers pay separately for selected movies or bundles.
Conclusion
BookMyShow makes most of its money through online ticketing and live-event operations. Convenience fees, cinema and organiser commissions, event production and sponsorships form its largest revenue streams.
Advertising, food and beverage orders, corporate vouchers, streaming and event technology provide additional income.
Its business model has evolved from a simple cinema-ticketing website into a wider entertainment platform. Future growth will depend on maintaining its ticketing leadership while producing profitable live events and managing competition, convenience-fee concerns and event-related risks.
