iWorld
Netflix India’s Abhishek Nag on streaming challenges, connected TVs and local stories
MUMBAI: Internet network speed hasn’t kept pace with the growth of internet adopters in India. Hence, streaming giant Netflix, which sees the potential of its next 100 million subscribers from this country, is heavily investing in compression technology to provide good viewing experience of high quality video even without a fast connection. Along with that, the OTT platform is highly committed to delivering locally relevant stories.
“There was a time when if you watched a high quality video on Netflix you will be on a 750 kbps connection. Today you can watch extremely high quality video on Netflix at 270kbps. You can do this because we invest significantly on compression technologies,” Netflix India business development director Abhishek Nag said while speaking at The Future Of Video India 2019 summit organised by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA).
Nag also emphasised on the importance of connected TVs as the partner of the OTT platform. Although handheld devices have emerged as the most popular medium to consume digital content, the Netflix executive said that users are gradually watching the streaming platform on large screens. He added that 42 per cent of accounts’ primary viewing in India became connected TVs within six months of activating subscription for the first time. Even broadband partnerships are extremely important for the company to provide a good viewing experience.
According to him, the dichotomy between OTT and broadcaster is outdated now. He opined that the industry today is bifurcated as content creators and distributors. Rather than the medium and the delivery pipe, consumers ultimately care about content.
Nag also reiterated the importance of locally relevant stories. Along with Sacred Games’success outside India, he also cited the example of Dark which had a successful run in its home country Germany but garnered more viewership across the globe. According to him, as the company continues to diversify content and personalise the service people will see value in subscribing.
When it comes to the issue of censorship, which has become the centre of attraction for regulation since last year, OTT players teamed up to create a self-regulation code. Nag is of the view that the code balances creative freedom and expression along with getting consumers' choice to watch what they feel is right.
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.
