iWorld
Applause Entertainment to make web series on 1992 Securities Scam based on the book ‘The Scam’
MUMBAI: For the first time ever, the true story behind one of the most notorious scams of the Indian Stock Market shall be brought on screen by Applause Entertainment in a 10 part series. SuchetaDalal and DebashisBasu’s ‘The Scam’ is one of the most thrilling non-fiction books ever written in India. Helmed by entertainment veteran Sameer Nair, Applause Entertainment will be showcasingthiswhite-collar crime story which took the country by storm.
An ambitious man discovers a loophole in the system and achieves overnight success in thestock market. A woman gets on his tail and India’s biggest securities scam is exposed. This story of greed makes for a thrilling series of ambition and investigative journalism. An immediate bestseller after being published in April 1993, the book highlights the pervasive greed and misconduct of the financial world unearthed by Padma Shri award-winning journalist SuchetaDalal. Converting this exposéinto a visual format is going to make for a spellbinding story.
Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair said,”The Scam had me hooked from the start. We are thrilled to work with Sucheta&Debashis on adapting this book into a riveting drama series. With their active collaboration on the screenplay, it promises to be an edge of the seat D-Street drama. These are indeed exciting times for digital content.”
“It is uncanny how the banking system continues to be exploited through systemic loopholes. It was Harshad Mehta using fake BR in 1992. Now it is Nirav Modi using fake LoU. As if nothing has changed.
We are very excited to collaborate with Applause Entertainment, and see the drama and excitement of 26 years ago, from an era when there were no cellphones or internet, being recreated for the digital age.”, says Sucheta Dalal.
In addition to ‘The Scam’, Applause Entertainment has also partnered with international powerhouse BBC Worldwide to produce the Indian version of two of their popular shows–‘The Office’ and ‘Criminal Justice’, has acquired the rights of the 1st chapter of the bestselling book ‘India’s Most Fearless’ and is also in process of making a political drama series called ‘City of Dreams’with NageshKukunoor.
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.
