iWorld
Government and Netflix wrap up ‘Inspiring Innovators’ skilling drive
New Delhi: The Office of the principal scientific adviser to the government of India and the ministry of information and broadcasting have joined hands with Netflix to close out Inspiring Innovators – naye Bharat ki nayi pehchaan, a skilling initiative that blends storytelling with innovation, talent development and social impact.
Aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the programme brings India’s innovation and creative ecosystems into one frame. Eight short animated films, created by students from universities across the country, showcase start-ups identified by the Office of the PSA for their work in socially relevant innovation.
The films were produced by students from institutions including the National Institute of Design, Chitkara University and the Satyajit Ray Institute of Film and Television, with voiceovers recorded by participants from Voicebox, a Netflix-NFDC skilling initiative. The project was implemented with Graphiti Studios, with mentoring support from NID Ahmedabad.
In all, 26 students took part in the programme, half of them women, with strong representation from tier-2 cities. Participants received hands-on exposure to real-world creative processes, from concept to execution. Adding a cultural flourish, the initiative’s original anthem was performed by students of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy.
L. Murugan, minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs, said initiatives such as this highlight how creativity can serve society. He pointed to India’s opportunity to take its stories to global audiences, as content, culture and creativity emerge as pillars of the Bharat economy.
Ajay Kumar Sood, principal scientific adviser to the government of India, said the programme reflected a holistic approach to building the innovation ecosystem. By linking start-ups, students, policy intent and industry mentorship, he said, the initiative connected skills development with real-world application.
Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the ministry of information and broadcasting, described the initiative as a marker of how storytelling is evolving into a platform for empowerment and skilling, particularly as India enters what he called the age of creators and AI-shaped narratives.
Mahima Kaul, director, global affairs at Netflix India, said the project underscored Netflix’s commitment to skilling India’s creative talent and recognising innovation that delivers tangible social value.
The culmination ceremony featured screenings of all eight films, live performances and addresses by senior representatives from government and partner organisations. The films are now available on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.
For the students and start-ups involved, the message is clear. When policy, creativity and platforms align, storytelling becomes more than content. It becomes a capability.
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.
