iWorld
‘On Air With AIB’ will set a new template in India: Ajit Mohan
MUMBAI: While satire has been a large part of the Irish and British culture, closer home, the nation woke up to it with websites likes Faking News and The UnReal Times. On the video content front, mainstream mockery and ridicule touched newer heights when hearty laughs were laughed as the comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) roasted actors Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh… well… at least until they were forcibly stifled when some inconsequential people took offence and created a hullabaloo.
Notwithstanding that, taking a cue from AIB’s popularity and its posse’s talent in satirical entertainment, Star India was quick to recognise the potential and tap into the new space by roping them in for a new satirical news show called On Air with AIB. The first episode (Hindi and English version) was unveiled on Hotstar today (29 October).
Star India digital head Ajit Mohan is of the opinion that On Air with AIB will set a new template in India.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Mohan said, “AIB over the years has established themselves as one of the best in what they do and it’s great to have them on board. We wanted to offer our huge youth following a series of satire news. At the same time, we also felt there can be no better option than AIB and that’s how On Air with AIB came in picture.”
On Air with AIB will have both Hindi and English versions. While the English version will be aired on Star World, Star Plus will share the Hindi feed. “We will premiere both English and Hindi firstly on Hotstar every Thursday. Then two days later on Sunday, the shows will be aired on the two respective channels,” informed Mohan.
The English version is curated by Ashish Shakya and Rohan Joshi, while Tanmay Bhat and Gursimran Khamba will be orchestrating the Hindi narrative.
In the first Hindi episode of On Air With AIB, which is titled Zaban Sambhal Ke, Khamba and Bhat wonder about why we should be good. We all hate corruption, yet whistleblowers get the raw end of the stick for calling evil out – every single time. The episode will also see Abhish Mathew talking to the Limca Book world record holder Dr K Padmarajan for losing the most elections! On the other hand, the first English episode of 25 minutes duration is titled Why Be Good? and will see Joshi and Shakya ponder over the same issue.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Shakya said, “The two series will have two different blends, in how they are written and presented. Despite the topic being the same, there are enough differences in the presentation for viewers to find both versions equally interesting. Hence a person who has seen the Hindi feed can also tune in to watch the English one and vice-versa.”
Since television is a community viewing medium in India, it comes with numerous guidelines and restrictions that content creators need to follow – something, which the internet based maestros AIB are hardly accustomed to. They are renowned for a blend of comedy, which complies to no rules or regulations.
When quizzed on how they are planning to adapt with the restricted medium, Shakya replied, “The general perception is that we know only one form of comedy, which is not true. Whenever we interacted with Star, we interacted with Ajit or Uday Shankar and we always found them very likeminded, which made it very comfortable for us. On Air With AIB we will talk about important issues with a blend of satire and use our creativity to explore new dimensions. The constraints of television media will not impact the presentation at all.”
Speaking about the target audience for the show, Mohan said, “Every technology takes time to evolve and video streaming requires a certain level of bandwidth, which at this stage is mostly available in urban regions. So currently, we are targeting urban India.”
From OOH to TVC to digital, Star India is backing the initiative with a 360 degree marketing and is leaving no stones unturned to generate awareness about their new offering. The collaboration had a role to play in the marketing too as all the television commercials were executed by AIB’s new ad wing Vigyapanti. Other marketing initiatives were taken care of by Star India and its partners.
Hotstar follows a advertising led revenue model where all its content is available for free. Despite the venture’s aggressive foray into original content, it is not looking to impose a subscription based model anytime soon. “We are very happy with the position that we are in at this moment. Advertisers have been reacting well to our innovations and we are not looking to change our revenue model. We have a strong portfolio with content spread across different genres and languages,” informed Mohan.
AskMe Bazaar has been roped in as the presenting sponsor of the show, which is co-powered by Tata Motors and Idea.
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.
