iWorld
Netflix India reveals 2021 line-up consisting 40+ originals
KOLKATA: Netflix is upping the stakes when it comes to its streaming game in India, revealing its 2021 line-up comprising 40 plus originals. At a virtual event called ‘See What’s Next India 2021’, the streamer has given glimpses of its new content slate that cuts across genres.
“Everyone has different taste, different preferences, different moods and they watch Netflix on different devices. Whether you are watching alone or with your family, whether you have 20 minutes or two hours, we work hard to make sure Netflix always has something great for you. This is exactly why we create so many stories across genres, languages, formats for you to choose. This year we are ready to take our next big leap to entertain India,” Netflix India vice president content Monika Shergill said at the event.
Its newly announced 15 episodic series slate includes mystery thriller Aranyak, Bombay Begums, Decoupled, ray, Yeh Kalie Kalie Akhein. Along with the new releases, returning seasons of famous shows like Masaba Masaba, Jamtara, Little Things, Mismatched, and She will land on the platform soon.
The fresh line-up also includes more than Netflix original movies, like the moving family drama Sardar Ka Grandson with Arjun Kapoor and Neena Gupta. Taapsee Pannu starrer Haseen Dillruba, the relationship drama Ajeeb Daastaans, and Ekta Kapoor production Pagglait are set to release on the streaming service tum the coming months.
“In India, we love films, everything about films – stories, storytellers, starts, sometimes the songs, sometimes the action, thrill. But more than anything it’s the magic of cinema we love. Netflix has had the honour of bringing 30 Indian original films so far , including 17 films just last year,” Netflix India international original film director Srishti Behl Arya said.
“Our upcoming line-up features more variety and diversity than we have seen before. From the biggest films and series, to gripping documentaries and reality, and bold comedy formats,” Shergill said in a blogpost. Netflix has also expanded its comedy library onboarding TV star Kapil Sharma, along with other known comedians like Sumukhi Suresh. The international streaming giant has content lined up in non-fiction genres like reality TV ( and documentaries.
In India’s crowded streaming market, Netflix is still lagging behind Disney+Hotstar, the shining star with nearly 28 million subscribers in the country. According to a report from Media Partners Asia, YouTube (43 per cent), Disney+ Hotstar (16 per cent), Netflix (14 per cent), Amazon Prime Video (seven per cent) remained the top five platforms which accounted for a combined 80 per cent share of total revenues in 2020.
The country's overall online video market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26 per cent over 2020-25 to reach $4.5 billion. Netflix which has been widely perceived as a “premium” service compared to its contenders, putting all efforts to reach the critical mass. It even unveiled a mobile only plan to woo the users.
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.
