iWorld
Asia Video Summit returns next month with a focus on growth and sustainability
MUMBAI: The annual marquee event of the Asian video industry, the Asia Video Summit will return as a full hybrid event this year on 1-2 November. There will be physical events in both Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as a live stream of all sessions to be made available on its interactive event platform.
The Asia Video Summit is organised by Asia Video Industry Association (Avia) with Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the lead sponsor. The aim of the Asia Video Summit is to tell a holistic story of the state of the video industry, looking at all aspects of it and articulated by its decision makers, to provide its delegates with a comprehensive view of the state of the video industry today.
In the post-COVID-19 era, media and entertainment companies have been the darlings of Wall Street. This narrative has recently changed, however, and arguably irrational exuberance has given way to irrational pessimism. But is the streaming business model fundamentally flawed, or is this just a recalibration in an era of inflation and post-pandemic trauma? How do the trajectories of investment vs monetization balance each other? And where does Asia sit compared to other parts of the world? Do subscriber numbers foretell a golden period of growth in Asia that can counter negative narratives from the West?
At this year’s Summit, they will be speaking to the people who are determining the future of the video industry in Asia. Besides the state and future of the video industry, they will also explore the growing role and advance of advertising, the technology behind the customer experience, a detailed look at the role of news and sports today and the burning topic of environmental sustainability.
Some of the key speakers of the Summit include:
-A+E Networks managing director Asia Saugato Banerjee
– StarHub chief of consumer business group Johan Buse
– True Corporation deputy director, planning & business development, strategic content group Kirana Chew
– Media Partners Asia executive director Vivek Couto
– Warner Bros. Discovery president & managing director Western Pacific James Gibbons
– BBC Studios senior vice president & general manager Asia Phil Hardman
– Astro vice president, head of sports Nicholas John
– Zee5 chief business officer Manish Kalra
– beIN Asia Pacific managing director Asia Mike Kerr
– Disney Streaming head of product – developing markets Sidd Mantri
– Airtel Ads CEO Vignesh Narayanan
– Mediacorp chief commercial officer, chief digital officer Parminder Singh
– TVING CEO Jay Yang
– Media Prima Television Networks deputy CEO Nini Yusof
The Asia Video Summit is sponsored by Gold Sponsors Brightcove, BytePlus, INVIDI, PubMatic, Tencent Cloud, TV5Monde, Silver Sponsors AsiaSat, Broadpeak, Dolby, Edgio, Google, Gracenote, InvestHK, Irdeto, Magnite, Measat, Mirada, Nagra, SES, Synamedia. Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the lead sponsor supports the Community Outreach Programme that provides complimentary passes for local video and creative industries-related SMEs and tertiary students to participate in the virtual Summit. Complimentary in-person Mentoring Workshops will also be held on 10 November to provide tips about the media industry.
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.
