iWorld
Jio topline almost triples as op rev climbs in Q1-20
BENGALURU: Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani’s largest start-up in the world Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (Jio Infocomm) saw standalone operating revenue climb 33.7 percent to Rs 16,557 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2020 (Q1 2020, period or quarter under review) as compared to the Rs 12,383 crore for the corresponding year ago quarter Q1 2020. Standalone profit after tax (PAT) increased 182.83 percent (almost tripled) in the quarter under review to Rs 2,520 crore from Rs 891 crore in Q1 2020.
The company says in an earnings media release that customer addition in Q1 2021 was 0.99 crore despite the COVID2019 related impact. It closed the quarter with 39.83 crore subscribers and ARPU of Rs 140.30 per subscriber per month, higher than the Rs 130.6 in the immediate trailing quarter Q4 2020.
Jio Infocomm standalone EBITDA for Q1 2021 was Rs 7,005 crore, which was 50 percent higher y-o-y than the Rs 4,670 crore for Q1 2020. Standalone total income (net operating revenue plus other income. without GST) for Q1 2021 increased 35.8 percent y-o-y to Rs 16,833 crore from Rs 12,399 crore in Q1 2020. Jio Infocomm’s network standalone operating expenses during the period under review increased 36.6 percent to Rs 5,225 crore from Rs 3,284 crore. Standalone access charges in Q1 2021 fell 10.4 percent to Rs 1,393 crore from Rs 1,555 crore. Standalone license fees/spectrum charges for Q1 2021 increased 41.3 percent y-o-y to Rs 1,818 crore from Rs 1,287 crore in Q1 2020. Standalone employee benefit expense in Q1 2021 fell 18.9 percent to Rs 318 crore from Rs 392 crore in Q1 2020. Standalone net finance cost in Q1 2021 declined 29.6 percent to Rs 1,168 crore from Rs 1,660 crore in Q1 2020. Standalone other expenses in Q1 2021 fell 3.7 percent y-o-y to Rs 523 crore from Rs 310 crore in Q1 2020.
Jio Platforms Ltd
Jio Platforms Ltd (Jio Platforms) is an Indian digital services company and a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd. The company owns India's largest mobile network operator Jio Infocom and other digital businesses of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Jio Platforms has raised Rs 152,056 crores to bolster Jio’s initiatives towards delivering breakthrough technologies and building the world’s leading digital services platform. Jio Platforms has raised the money across thirteen investors which includes Facebook, Google, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala, ADIA, TPG, L Catterton, Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Intel Capital and Qualcomm Ventures. Reliance Industries, post completion of these investments, would hold 66.48 percent equity stake in Jio Platforms on a fully diluted basis. Of the total investment, Jio Platforms Limited has already received Rs 1,15,694 crore as subscription amount.
Jio Platforms consolidated revenue for Q1 2021 increased 12.2 percent from Rs 15,373 crore reported for the immediate trailing quarter. Jio Platforms consolidated PAT for Q1 2021 increased 6 percent to Rs 2,519 crore from Rs 2,377 crore in Q4 2020. Jio Platforms consolidated EBITDA for Q1 2021 increased 12.8 percent q-o-q to Rs 7,047 crore from Rs 6,250 crore in Q4 2020.
Company Speak
RIL chairman and managing director Ambani said: “Jio started with a vision of connecting everything by building a robust and secure wireless and digital network and extending the benefits of digital connectivity to everyone in India. Thirteen investors, which include the largest technology companies and investors globally, now share a common vision with us. Jio Platforms Limited with partnerships across promising Indian start-ups and globally renowned technology companies is set to drive the next leg of hyper-growth for digital businesses. Our growth strategy is aimed at meeting the needs of all the 1.3 billion (130 crore) Indians. We remain focused on playing a leading role India’s transformation into a digital society.”
Reliance Industries
RIL consolidated revenue for the quarter was Rs 100,929 crore. Consolidated EBITDA for the quarter was Rs 21,585 crore. RIL says that despite lockdown due to COVID2019, net profit including exceptional items for the quarter was higher by 30.6 percent y-o-y at `Rs13,248 crore. Cash Profit was also higher by 16.7 percent y-o-y at Rs 18,893 crore. EPS including exceptional items for the quarter was Rs 20.7 per share, increased 22.1 percent y-o-y.
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.
