iWorld
Budget 2020: BharatNet boost to have positive impact on OTT platforms
MUMBAI: While the media and entertainment industry is heading towards a digital future on the back of streaming services, budget 2020 seems to bolster it. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to allocate Rs 6,000 crore for the BharatNet programme in 2020-21. The boost to broadband connectivity in rural areas is making OTT platforms hopeful about uptake in online video consumption.
"Our vision is that all public institutions at the gram panchayat level such as anganwadis, health and wellness centres, government schools, PDS outlets, post offices and police stations — all will be provided digital connectivity. The fibre to the home (FTTH) connection through BharatNet will link 100,000 gram panchayats this year itself," Sitharaman said.
ALTBalaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya appreciates the step to promote digital connectivity through its BharatNet programme and connecting 100,000-gram panchayats through optical fibre network. According to him, this is one more important step taken in the direction of achieving the vision of a digital India where rural India gets placed on the digital map.
The over-the-top platforms are heavily reliant on internet connectivity for better penetration. Moreover, numerous industry experts and reports have suggested that tier II and tier III cities, rural areas are the next frontier of growth for OTT platforms. Hence, the move will help them to expand more in those markets.
"We appreciate the efforts of the government to boost the digital ecosystem in the country. The increased focus on improving connectivity under the BharatNet scheme and the emphasis on artificial intelligence will allow OTT players to offer bespoke and personalised solutions to consumers. Additionally, the impetus to the smartphone manufacturing industry will make internet consumption accessible to a wider section of Indian society that will expand the scope of revenues for OTT players. The allocation of Rs 8,000 crore for setting up the National Mission on Quantum Computing and Technology will also boost the development of the industry by making resources cost-effective," Gaana CEO Prashan Agarwal stated.
“It is now a cliché – “data is the new oil” and it is true that analytics, fintech and internet of things (IOT) are changing the way we deal with our lives. To take advantage of this, I propose to bring out soon a policy to enable the private sector to build Data Centre parks throughout the country. It will enable our firms to skillfully incorporate data in every step of their value chains,” Sitharaman added.
White Rivers Media chief executive officer and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi said that data and digital occupied the centre piece of the budget. He added that the focus on IoT, Data Parks, AI shall make India a strong contender amongst the top digital economies, globally and the ambitious fibre to home proposal should get the next 100 million in the digital universe soon.
“75 per cent of the users that come on to the internet for the first time between now and the next few years are going to come from tier II and tier III cities as per various industry reports and the vast majority of them are regional language native speakers who don’t necessarily converse in English or Hindi as their language of preference. Anything that is done to bring them to the digital foray essentially allows regional platform like Hoichoi to influentially expand the addressable user base over time and this is a welcome move. Next set of users are to be brought in the digital fold and it not just the combination of digital apps that will benefit from this, it’s also the information and social media apps that will benefit from wider availability of the internet at the grassroot level,” Hoichoi co-founder Vishnu Mohta commented.
"Budget 2020's revised fiscal deficit target of 3.8 per cent of the GDP seems more realistic and focus on spends/ benefits was required to boost the economy. The thrust on entrepreneurship and tax regulations for both, startups and taxpayers is a move in the right direction. India is the third largest startup hub globally and the announcement of an investment clearance cell to provide end-to-end support to startup founders will encourage more youth to be job creators. Further, the ability to defer taxes on ESOPs will democratise wealth creation for startup employees, ensuring the right talent is benefitted. Finally, the decision to grant 100% tax exemptions to sovereign wealth funds on their investment in priority sectors will provide the much needed funding boost to the sector and create value in the longer run,” Pocket Aces VP of Finance and Operations Kunal Lakhara said.
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.
