iWorld
Flipkart’s entry into video streaming space more of an e-commerce play
MUMBAI: Ever since Flipkart announced its entry into India’s booming video streaming space, it’s been the talk of the town. The Walmart-owned e-commerce platform will open it up for Flipkart Plus loyalty program members in a fashion similar to Amazon Prime Video.
The upcoming video streaming service will enter the market in September, before the festive season of Diwali. The difference between the two is that Flipkart’s service is entirely free for Plus members while the other entails a cost of Rs 129 a month. Another difference is that Flipkart is currently licensing content while Amazon invests in its own. However, industry experts are divided on the effectiveness of the e-commerce player’s plan to enter the market with commissioned content.
“Walmart acquired Vudu in 2010 and has been trying to scale it with an ad-funded model rather than originals/subscription. For India, if they have decided to do aggregated content, I think it is because they are testing waters initially. Walmart as a new video OTT player is a good step for consumers and the industry. I think once they taste the success they will start investing in local content or originals as well. Walmart is also as deep-pocketed as Netflix or Amazon,” Eros International group chief marketing officer Manav Sethi commented on the strategy.
On the other hand, Elara Capital vice president research Karan Taurani is of the view that until and unless OTT players make an investment into original content, no massive changes can be expected since it is a very crowded space with more than 30 players. Reports say that Flipkart has not ruled out the possibility of launching originals.
Despite its different stance, experts are sure that it will definitely boost Flipkart’s business. One media analyst opined that the model is similar to Amazon Prime Video where content is one offering in Flipkart’s loyalty programme. However, instead of targetting a million subscribers, Flipkart’s aim is to get more consumers to spend money on its platform.
“The play they want to have is really similar to Amazon than Netflix. The idea is to hook the audiences to its content to study consumer behaviour for better targetting,” said another analyst from an auditing firm who wished to remain unnamed. He added that if it can get people to linger on the platform and increase the number of services provided to them, Flipkart will be in a better position to target them efficiently. But he added that the quality of content and price point will also matter.
“In the past 10 years, our vision and ethos have been to create India-specific tech solutions. What we are rolling out when it comes to addressing the needs of the next 200 million users in our country, is taking forward those founding principles of access and affordability,” Flipkart group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy commented as per media reports.
Taurani added that Flipkart can tie up with multiple OTT platforms which will help it boost its e-commerce segment. As Amazon Prime is restricted to have in-house content, this can be an advantage.
Moreover, as per Taurani, the OTT platforms or broadcasters providing content to Flipkart will also gain from the deal as this will be an additional revenue stream for them apart from their current tie-up with the telcos. Hence, it’s a win-win situation for both but it will obviously help Flipkart’s e-commerce play more.
It’s yet to be ascertained how this move will create a dent in the market. “It will increase the competition. The consumers who were having 30-plus options will have one more big option to consume. Depending on how Walmart packages and prices it, I think it should see significant consumption uptake,” Sethi added.
According to a recent report from KPMG, the digital segment of the media and entertainment industry in India contributed Rs 173 billion in revenue in FY19 with digital advertising and subscription from OTT platforms contributing significantly. The potential of the market is noticeable as the report predicts 580 million OTT consumers by FY24 will be spending more than 30 minutes on online video platforms each day.
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.
