iWorld
Voot brings BBC’s famed non-scripted original about social media madness today
MUMBAI: Scaling a treacherous mountain pass, battling wildlife and river rapids in the forests and beating the gruelling desert sun – Can you survive and stay alive in these harsh, uninhabited terrains with the help of just a Smartphone and a data strong network?
Viacom 18’s video-on-demand streaming service Voot is all set to answer this question with the launch of India’s first-ever ‘Digital Survival Series’ and its newest original – Vodafone presents “Stupid Man Smart Phone” powered by Motorola.
Produced by BBC Worldwide Productions and hosted by the acclaimed actor and digital star Sumeet Vyas, the show will introduce the audience to a never seen before format in the history of Indian entertainment where a smart phone and a super network is the only means of survival.
This unique and engaging show is all set to premiere exclusively on 20 September on Voot .
Viacom18 Digital Ventures’ COO Gaurav Gandhi said: “Voot continues to take the leadership mantle on innovation with many pioneering initiatives across both content and technology. The latest Voot original, a category first, is one such initiative, that will offer a completely differentiated and engaging experience to our audience.”
Voot head of content Monika Shergill said “For the first time, an internationally recognised non-scripted format of this scale is being produced as a streaming original series. The show is unique with today’s social media madness at the heart of it. It’s the only show where followers of Sumeet and his partners participate and aid in their survival choices. This unique concept with its social engagement potential, grandeur and edgy humour is sure to provide an immersive entertainment experience to all.”
A winner of the ‘Best Multi-Platform Format’ at the 2017 International Format Awards in Cannes earlier, this Indian adaptation of the BBC Worldwide format features Vyas and a celebrity guest travelling across three unforgiving terrains, trying to complete the mission at hand while being aided by their smartphones and their legions of social media followers.
BBC Worldwide SVP and GM – south-east Asia and south Asia Myleeta Aga said: “India is the first country in Asia that will air the Indian version of this BBC format and we will be producing it for our long-standing partners at Viacom.”
Vodafone EVP – marketing Siddharth Banerjee said,“Vodafone is happy to partner with content that is new-age and digital. It’s is a show with connectivity at the heart of the storytelling. The format enables the protagonists to #MakeMostOfNow with the Vodafone Data Strong Network™ and navigate challenges as they traverse diverse geographies across India in the Voot show.”
Motorola India head of marketing Rachna Lather said, “The viewers will see how much fun Sumeet and his friends have using the Moto Z2 play with Moto mods while performing the tough challenges”.
Along with their inimitable personality, each celebrity guest also brings to the show their extensive social media fan base which coupled with Vyas’s massive internet following makes for relevant and often crucial interactions through all the episodes.
In the lush rainforests of South India, Vyas teams up with the vibrant Evelyn Sharma while the harsh Rajasthan desert sun beats down upon YouTube funny man Sahil Khattar and TV hearthrob Karan Kundra keeps Sumeet company in the untouched mountains of Arunachal Pradesh.
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.
