iWorld
RCB serves sweet Kannada lessons with jilebis in culture-first campaign
MUMBAI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has bowled fans over with a unique culture campaign that’s as sweet as it is smart. In a bid to make Kannada more accessible to non-native speakers, the team has launched an initiative combining cricket, language, and the irresistible charm of jilebis.
Long perceived as complex by non-south Indians, Kannada gets a sugary makeover with RCB turning the traditional sweet into a cultural connector. The campaign flips a common online trope about south Indian scripts being confusing by using jilebis shaped like Kannada words—offering fans a delightful way to ‘taste the language’.
These limited-edition Kannada jilebis are available exclusively at the RCB Bar and Café in Bengaluru from 8 to 11 April. Each pack unlocks a series of beginner-friendly Kannada lessons on RCB’s Youtube channel, featuring popular players like Virat Kohli, Tim David, and Yash Dayal.
As a bonus, RCB is sponsoring free Kannada classes for 1,000 fans, who can claim or gift the sessions by simply emailing ‘Jilebi Kodi’.
“As someone who grew up in Bengaluru, it’s really special to see the language being celebrated like this,” said RCB batter Devdutt Padikkal. “It’s not just about Kannada, it’s about making everyone feel at home in the city, and I’m glad to play a small part in helping fans connect more deeply with the city and our team.”
The campaign has received love from fans across the spectrum for creatively promoting inclusivity and regional identity.
Kannada actor and cultural icon Shiva Rajkumar shared, “This initiative by RCB is close to my heart. It brings people together, not just to learn Kannada, but to experience the warmth of our city. The campaign is a beautiful way to connect fans with our culture, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
RCB COO Rajesh Menon said, “What makes RCB truly special is the unwavering support of our fans – no matter where they come from or what language they speak. This campaign is our tribute to Bengaluru, a city that has embraced people from across the country with open arms. By creating jilebis inspired by the elegance of the Kannada script, we’re inviting everyone to savour the rich culture of our home city – quite literally. It’s a bold and heartfelt gesture to surprise our fans and deepen their connection with the team.”
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
