iWorld
Hotstar to disrupt online video subscriptions with Hotstar VIP
MUMBAI: Hotstar, India’s leading video streaming platform, launches ‘Hotstar VIP’ – a subscription that offers audiences the best of content at just INR 365 per year. The new subscription plan gives audiences the choice to watch exclusive new content under the Hotstar Specials label, their favourite Star network serials before television at 6 a.m., and the best of live sporting action, including VIVO IPL, ICC Cricket World Cup, Premier League and much more.
Speaking about the launch of ‘Hotstar VIP’, Varun Narang, Chief Product Officer, Hotstar, said, “It is our endeavour at Hotstar to delight customers with content that they resonate with, at the same time give them the power of choice at an affordable cost. Hotstar VIP is aimed at providing users accessibility – be it with the introductory price or the ability to watch exclusive new shows in multiple regional languages. It is a value proposition built with the Indian audience at the heart of it.”
A key feature of the Hotstar VIP service is ‘Hotstar Specials’ – a label that will bring bold & authentic stories made by the biggest storytellers of India to crores of consumers across India. The launch of Hotstar VIP coincides with the release of the first Hotstar Special ‘ Roar of the Lion’, a story on Chennai Super Kings amazing comeback under the leadership of M.S.Dhoni. This show will be followed by Criminal Justice, City of Dreams, Hostages and many more shows under the Hotstar Specials label.
For the first time ever, an OTT platform will allow customers to have a ‘pay by cash’ option. This is being done as a test initially, where users can subscribe to enjoy the Hotstar VIP benefits immediately with cash to be collected from their doorstep in the next 48-72 hours. Adding another layer of convenience for customers, the platform will now allow phone number logins.
Existing subscribers of Hotstar All Annual Sports plan will automatically be upgraded to Hotstar VIP, on a complimentary basis with no additional charge, and can also enjoy access to Hotstar Specials and Star serials before TV. Hotstar Premium subscribers can avail of the benefits under Hotstar VIP along with the latest American shows, blockbuster Hollywood movies and award-winning content from International studios.
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.
