iWorld
Dialog ViU partners ALTBalaji for original Indian content
MUMBAI: Dialog Axiata PLC from Sri Lanka has announced its partnership with ALTBalaji to provide users of its ViU service with original Indian video content for the first time in Sri Lanka, at subsidised rates.
Dialog Axiata PLC senior general manager Global and content services Mangala Hettiarachchi said, “The launch of the ViU app signified a new era of accessible content for Sri Lankan consumers, not only in terms of local content but regional and international as well. Dialog’s partnership with ALTBalaji strengthens our commitment to providing consumers with a host of diversified content including programming in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and more at affordable prices.”
Available in 90 countries with a global paid subscriber base of over 2.5 million, ALTBalaji is rapidly growing towards four million subscribers. With a growing library of original shows and a robust distribution strategy, ALTBalaji aims to reach out to audience worldwide.
Commenting on the association, ALTBalaji group COO and CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya said, “ALTBalaji is constantly working towards creating path-breaking content which caters to the Indian language urban mass audience. The response to our content so far has been overwhelming and we wish to make it available to audience inside all environments. Our association with Dialog will help us with a unique opportunity to reach out to a wide customer base and let them enjoy the content we are proud to present.”
This strategic partnership with Dialog through the ViU app will result in the introduction of original Indian content to over one million Sri Lankan users, diversifying its already varied portfolio of offerings. To access over 150 hours of original content in various Indian languages, ViU users simply need to log into the app, click on the ALTBalaji for Dialog icon to download the app and subscribe at a subsidised rate. ViU users are entitled to a one-month free subscription and are required to pay only Rs 160 per month thereafter.
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.
