iWorld
News9 Plus creates iconic experiences at travel, wellness, weddings and MICE forum
Mumbai: As India reinforces its position as a bright spot in a world battling multiple crises, consumers too have found a new swagger. Their focus is evolving from conspicuous consumption towards a quest for more profound and experiential expressions of luxury.
With luxury segment poised for glittering growth, News9 Plus, the news OTT from the house of TV9 Network, joined hands with Jyoti Mayal, president, TAAI and Chander Mansharamani, MD of Alpcord Network Travel & Conferences Management Company, to create a platform where connoisseurs of luxury will converge.
Visionary leaders representing travel, tourism, luxury, wellness, weddings, and conferences came together for an unparalleled and unforgettable experience at The iconic experiences Show on 16-17 October 2023, at Hyatt Regency in New Delhi.
The event featured a series of Masterclasses, fireside chats, keynote presentations, and panel discussions, led by some of the most sought-after icons in their respective industries. “Sky’s the limit,” chimed veteran aviation leaders – Aditya Ghosh, co-founder of Akasa Air, and Kapil Kaul, CEO & director, CAPA Advisory. Mr. Nakul Anand, executive director, ITC Ltd, shared masterstrokes on sustainable luxury in an engaging Masterclass.
Rupinder Brar, IT commissioner, Govt. of India; Dr. Jyotsna Suri, chairperson & managing director, Bharat Hotels Ltd; Varija Bajaj, fashion designer and Shobha Rudra from Rare India talked about women powering sustainability goals.
Yoga & spiritual guru and diplomat Sadhvi Pragya, spiritual leader Sadhvi Praygya Bharti and Brajendra Nandan Das from ISKCON India ‘wowed’ the audience with their insights on ‘wellness’. Samit Garg, MD & co-founder, E-Factor Experiences Ltd.; Chetan Vohra, MD, line communications & wedding line; Vandana Mohan, founder, The Wedding Design Company; Dr. Sanjana Jon, social activist and fashion designer; and Asmita Chakraborty, Miss Tourism India 2021 were “Not so Knotty” in a panel discussion on weddings sector in India.
The Luxperiencial event culminated on the 17 October with exclusive B2B meetings, power breakfast sessions with buyers, and networking opportunities during a captivating sundowner affair.
On what prompted her to curate a platform to cater to the luxury segment, Mrs Mayal said: “After the pandemic, people wanted to explore travel beyond mundane itineraries. In revenge travel mode, they were seeking experiences. For this, travel agents have to think out-of-the-box ideas. However, this is easier said than done. That’s why we have come up with TIES, a platform which will provide travel agents an opportunity to interact with states, countries, attractions, DMCs directly and learn how they can add a luxurious element to their package.”
Stating that India is ready to witness a transformative influence in travel, tourism, wellness, weddings and MICE sectors, TV9 Network chief growth officer Raktim Das,said: “A pivotal shift is already happening, and in the years ahead, India will be one of the world’s foremost luxury markets.”
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, he added: “As World’s first news OTT, News9 Plus caters to a very niche segment of audience – people who want perspectives in the daily din of news, the upwardly mobile, knowledge worker, the experience seeking globe trotter. Tapping the same audience, we co-created this initiative and the content that was curated during is being amplified to a larger audience on News9 MediaVerse.”
Some of the countries that participated in the exhibition are Sri Lanka, Saudi, Korea, Germany. In addition, there are multiple States and DMCs that have also confirmed participation.
“I refuse to believe that the era of travel agents is over. It is the agents who need to up their game and TIES is a step in the direction to have them do so. This is exactly why we have not made it a closed-door event limited to only pre-booked meetings. In terms of buyers, we have invited golfers, wedding planners, HNIs, women influencers etc. and organised power breakfasts, Hi-Tea and created more such opportunities for the buyers and exhibitors to engage in quality interactions,” said Mrs. Mayal.
Other eminent speakers at the event included Mukesh Kumar Meshram, principal secretary, tourism and culture department, UP Government; M D Sinha, principal secretary, Haryana tourism department; Gayatri Rathore, principal secretary, tourism; Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, principal secretary, tourism and cultural affairs, Govt. Of Punjab; Zubin Saxena, MD and senior area VP, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group; Meshaal M. Qureshi, trade markets director, Saudi Tourism Authority, and Mr. Hadigalage Chalaka Dev Gajabahu, chairman Sri Lanka tourism promotion bureau; Noel Swain, COO Evisa VAS & tourism services, VFS; Parveen Chander Kumar, EVP sales and marketing, Indian Hotels Company Ltd; Tarun Thakral, founder & managing trustee – Heritage Transport Museum; Ashish Gupta, founder: Strategy PLUTO & Consulting.
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.
