iWorld
Alt Balaji: Ekta Kapoor casts Rajkummar Rao in Bose biopic
MUMBAI: After bringing to life the story of Silk Smitha in The Dirty Picture on the big screen, Ekta Kapoor is now bringing Subhash Chandra Bose’s life to the digital world, with an all new dimension to the storytelling. The subscription based video-on-demand platform Alt Balaji has announced the launch of a new digital series which essays the life of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Rajkummar Rao will be seen enacting the role of Bose. The digital show promises to showcase the untold story of his life, – a biopic like never seen before.
“The unknown side of events, happenings and personalities has always intrigued me, I am drawn to these mysteries! Bose is such a strong character from our history and yet there is so much about him that we don’t know, and that hasn’t been told on any medium before. The unbounded mystery around him is so fascinating and that was my trigger to tell this side of his story on the digital platform. It is edgy, fast paced and it’s everything that you don’t expect it to be!” said Kapoor.
Rao is spending a majority of his time researching/prepping for the once in a lifetime kind of role.
Rao added, “I’m extremely excited to explore the unheard journey of Netaji on screen. It’s a great opportunity for me as an actor. I was totally blown away hearing his life story. He is one of the most mysterious and fascinating persons of our history and of course, we all know about his true love for the country and with Ekta and Synergy backing it I don’t have any doubts that our audience will get to witness something never seen before on Indian screen.”
Kapoor is all set to step into the web world with her new digital foray set to launch in early 2017. The app showcases exclusive, original, and never-seen before digital shows.
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.
