iWorld
Online VOD platform The Viral Fever gains one million subscribers
MUMBAI: The recent past has seen a large number of video on demand (VOD) mushrooming in the country, with each of them trying to differentiate itself from the other with unique content. Youth entertainment network The Viral Fever (TVF), which is one of these platforms, scored a recent milestone. The platform has gained one million subscribers on its online network.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, The Viral Fever founder and CEO Arunabh Kumar says that it is a very special achievement for the online network because India is globally known as the least subscriber savvy country. “No matter how much content you produce, audiences and viewers generally do not have the tendency to subscribe,” he says.
When quizzed about the reason for success, Kumar says, “Besides great content, we were also able to evolve with our content and stay relevant. Our attitude is to stay new.”
Kumar says the number holds significance as usually it is established names such as Sony, T-Series and Yash Raj Films who have 5,000 to 10,000 videos that gain million plus subscribers, but TVF as a small network has just 126 videos for now.
Close to 30 videos of the network have gone viral so far. Sharing an interesting insight, Kumar says, “One of TVF’s shows titled Rowdies, (which is a spoof on the popular MTV Roadies show) received more than a million views sometime back, but it took 36 months before the network saw one million subscribers latching onto the online network.”
The network currently has close to two to three million unique visitors lapping up its content every month. “Additionally three to five million also come on board who visit our site regularly and are not subscribers,” he adds.
Going forward, the company is looking at strengthening their non-fiction property, Recycle Bin. “I wish that TVF’s Live Shows reach the magic figure of one million too. I would also want one million to register on TVF InBox, which showcases films,” Kumar says.
The company’s next target is to get at least five to 10 million viewers every month.
The Viral Fever’s subsidiary network TVF 1 is looking at breaking even and making a profit this year. Currently the company operates out of the profits from its parent company The Viral Fever Media Labs.
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.
