iWorld
OTT spreading in India, but 50% still prefer TV as first screen: Chrome
MUMBAI: Six per cent of urban India accesses OTT services on a daily basis and 24 per cent of the population do so on weekly basis. However, what is more interesting is that more than 50 per cent of the viewers still prefer TV as the first screen for viewing, according to a latest study done by Chrome Data Analytics and Media.
The study, titled ‘Now Streaming: OTT’, examines the rise and penetration of OTT players in India and covers key aspects of the tech’s evolution, which primarily gives broadcasters, advertisers and the industry, in general, an insight into key target markets. The report further captures profiling nuances of an OTT content consumer.
Some of the highlights of the report are the following:
# Exclusivity of content helps increase awareness and eyeballs for an OTT platform.
# User experience on smart phones plays a vital role in driving penetration. Currently, smart phones account for 29 per cent penetration.
# More than 75 per cent of the audience prefers free services with ads as they are already paying for Internet services.
# If the above is taken into account, rest of the population is ready to pay for the services with subscription amount varying on the basis of gender, age group and geography.
# The potential of ‘Offline’ mode in India is quite high because of inadequate infrastructure and high cost of unlimited Internet.
# The potential of ‘Offline’ mode varies with gender, age group and geography of the consumer.
# The same viewer behaves differently over television and OTT. Solo viewing is not the only reason for pushing viewers to an OTT platform.
# OTT players should focus on regional content as inclination or demand for (Indian) regional content is increasing.
Talking about the growth potential of OTT, Chrome DM founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna said, “The entire Internet base, which is 464 million today, qualifies for OTT’s growth potential. However, infrastructure enhancement and low cost unlimited internet plans are the key drivers that will exponentially help in reaching and further increasing the potential base itself.”
The OTT study also outlines the consumer profiles in detail by classifying them into broad segments. The characteristics defined for each of them gives consumer insights.
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.
