iWorld
Mitron TV strengthens leadership team with two senior hires
KOLKATA: In yet another bullish move, Indian short-format video app Mitron TV has announced the expansion of its leadership team with two senior hires. Former Bytedance executive Shyamanga Barooah has on board as head of content strategy and senior journalist Biswarup Gooptu, who spent 10 years at the Economic Times, has joined as head of partnerships & policy.
In his new role, Barooah will be responsible for developing and optimizing a tailored content strategy, whilst driving the best content practices for internal and external stakeholders. Gooptu will focus on driving public policy for the company and building government alliances.
Barooah is a seasoned media professional with over 20 years of experience in journalism, content creation and management. Prior to his current role, he was the content operation head of Helo and chief editor of News Republic, which is part of ByteDance Inc, the parent company of TikTok. He has also worked for global firms like Cheetah Mobile and leading media houses like India Today, Times Internet and Hindustan Times. A former member of a blues band, he continues to follow his passion for music.
An alumnus of Cardiff University UK, Gooptu is a media veteran with over 15 years of experience in journalism. During his stint at the Economic Times, Gooptu covered the Indian start-up ecosystem, private equity and venture capital funding amongst other beats. He has also worked with Reuters and Telegraph.
Mitron co-founder and CEO Shivank Agarwal said: “The impact of short-video consumption and digital entertainment is growing at a rapid pace, making this sector one of the most exciting in present times. At Mitron, we are in a robust growth phase and continuing to reinvent ourselves. With Shyamanga and Biswarup’s expertise, we look forward to further strengthening our proposition and scale the business to the next level.”
Mitron content strategy head Shyamanga Barooah said: "It's great to be part of Mitron's amazing journey in the short-format video space in India. I feel there is a lot of opportunity within this dynamic space, especially in a storytelling and vibrant nation like India.”
“I am delighted to be joining the company’s leadership team at such a pivotal time in its growth. This is an exciting time for Indian technology landscape and we are poised to become one of the leading short-video social media application,” Mitron partnerships and policy head Biswarup Gooptu said.
In just seven months, Mitron app has crossed 39 million-plus downloads on Android Play Store. As part of its efforts to support the government’s initiative of ‘Vocal for Local’, Mitron recently launched Atmanirbhar Apps, a one of its kind discovery platform for Indian applications. Currently, the platform hosts more than 100 apps and plans to bring 500 apps by the end of this year. Mitron was also the first in the space to launch categories to build vibrant communities of like-minded audiences. This particular initiative enabled users to discover the content of their interest and creators to engage with like-minded followers.
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.
