WAVES Summit | How India Can Catalyse Growth Of Live Concert Industry — Experts Weigh-In
From Wizcraft's Viraf Sarkari to BookMyShow's Ashish Hemrajani, key stakeholders discuss the path ahead for India's booming concert industry.
India's live concert industry has been booming, and holds the potential to grow significantly in the years to come. At the ongoing WAVES Summit 2025 in Mumbai, Viraf Sarkari, co- founder of Wizcraft International Entertainment; Ashish Hemrajani, chief executive officer and founder of BookMyShow and Vivien Lewit, global head of artists of YouTube, discussed the path ahead for the industry.
To foster more homegrown live concerts in India, improved infrastructure is essential, Sarkari said on Friday, while speaking at a panel discussion moderated by NDTV at the summit.
From a governmental standpoint, Sarkari highlighted that implementing a single-window licensing policy could streamline the process, making it easier to organise live events and further support the growth of India’s entertainment industry.
Supporting Sarkari's outlook, Ashish Hemrajani also pointed towards the need for improved infrastructure along with better mass transportation, connectivity to venues, metro access, and better road links for growth.
Hemrajani emphasised the need for more multi-use arenas in India. While the country has large sporting stadiums, it lacks sufficient indoor venues. He pointed to the success of hosting the world’s biggest ticketed concert— Coldplay at India’s largest cricket stadium.
"We have done that with the world’s biggest cricket stadium creating history with the largest ticketing concert anywhere in the world. But it was hard. It was made possible through the backing of the Gujarat government, BCCI, and Gujarat Cricket Association."
Hemrajani also said that the international touring market in India remains limited due to the scarcity of dedicated event spaces. Expanding such infrastructure could significantly elevate the country’s position in the global entertainment landscape, he added.
Lewit underlined the importance of cost analysis, as such events require significant investment and must be built from the ground up.
Developing artists from smaller platforms, creating an ecosystem around them, and gradually scaling their presence can help them reach the pinnacle of major festivals, Lewit said.
Growing Presence Of Live Concerts
With a 6,000-year history of culture and music, including the legacy of gharanas, the country’s musical industry has not yet scaled to a global level, Hemrajani said.
But platforms like YouTube and other OTT services have played a vital role in taking Indian music beyond borders, similar to how Afro, Latino, and K-Pop have gained popularity, Hemrajani said.
According to him, independent musicians in India struggle to scale in the live event space despite the digital progress. "Festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bandland, and Sunburn offer opportunities for Indian artists to expand their reach," he added.
Sarkari pointed out that India's Gen Z has a growing preference for immersive and memorable live events, whereas Lewit noted that there is a need to bridge the gap for those who cannot attend these concerts in-person. Digital platform will assist in scaling and extending the reach of live events globally, she added.
