iWorld
SillyMonks raises 3Cr from HNI; Plans to launch 6 web series properties
MUMBAI: Hyderabad based digital and entertainment start-up SillyMonks – the youngest & the fastest growing YouTube Multi Channel Network Partner announced today they have raised 3Cr from HNI Sreenivasa Reddy Musani, CMD EKTHA Group. The deal, marked as the largest HNI investment in this space in South of India will help SillyMonks augment their market leadership and to introduce new digital media properties.
Sreenivasa Musani is an entrepreneur with 18 years in Internet & E-commerce related businesses specializing mostly in disruptive technologies. His passion is to invest and be part of technologies that make a difference in the way people interact and conduct business online.
“SillyMonks has shown tremendous potential in its growth and is well placed to be part of new digital revolution in India in the coming years, says Sreenivasa Musani. We are excited to be part of SillyMonks and the fast growing digital transformation space in India”.
The deal, which marks the largest HNI investment in this space in South of India will help SillyMonks augment their market leadership and to introduce new digital media properties.
Revealing the details Sanjay Reddy, Founder and Managing Director of SillyMonks said“The funds raised will further secure and maximise ROI for our clients, by delivering new digitally immersive online experiences to a highly connected customer base and help create innovative original content.”
In the immediate short term SillyMonks plans to launch six web series properties on their YouTube channel “SILLY TUBE” encouraged by the stupendous success of first Telugu web series MuddapappuAvakaiproduced by Pink Elephant Pictures under SillyMonks Network.
A start-up venture founded by Media & Entertainment Specialist Sanjay Reddy and Anil Pallala inSeptember 2013, SillyMonks is keen to expand its domination in content aggregation, customization, and deployment of contentsin audio and video format for mobile carriers, devices, and music stores both in India and in world markets.
Outlining its services and brand strengths in the market Sanjay said “We have a multitude of popular digital media properties like MonkStar and over 650+ YouTube Channels with original content.We are looking at adding compelling content and options to brands and agencies eager to connect with the critical and growing digital demographics, in the online &television market space with a profitable combination of technology and content.”
The digital media product consumption in this segment is currently pegged at INR 8000 crores ($ 1.2 Billion) and expected to grow at a CAGR of 33.5% to reach a mind boggling number of INR 25,500 Crores ($ 3.9Billion) by 2020in India. Our main focus is to eye a significant pie of this cake.
In June 2014, SillyMonkshad raiseda nominal fund froman Angel Investor KorrapatiRanganatha Sai of Vaaraahi ChalanaChitram, a well-known producer and known for many movie hits like Rajamouli’sEega (Makhi)& Legend.
Explaining about the market and competition Sanjay says”We are transformers so competition is not a challenge for us”.We are astrong player in the film marketing to music band production to promotion of different brands in the online market helping various stakeholders, ranging from SME to big film production houses – to musicians to content creators, to grow their digital footprint.
SillyMonks clocked revenues of INR 4.75Cr in 2015-16 and in the current year the company anticipates 50% growth.
About SillyMonks:
SillyMonks have strong footprints in producing content for digital & TV and Film production.It also owns a Music Company which is in original music space called Monkstar Music that provides a platform for independent artists. SillyMonks is present in South India, Mumbai and Los Angeles.
SillyMonksMulti Channel Network (MCN) delivers approximately 100 Million + views in a month and addresses a social audience of 16+ million followers across various social media platforms. Revenues for SillyMonks come from its clients through YouTube advantage share, Retainership engagement including digital marketing & Mobile & Web designs. The company has witnessed a strong acceleration in its business since inception.
Besides being Google & Yahoo Partners in India, The startup has also Co-produced the Telugu movie named ‘OohaluGusagusalade’ ‘DikkuluChoodakuRamayya’ ‘Tungabhadra’ ‘Raja CheyyiVesthe” along with Angel Investor.
Fast Facts about SillyMonks Founders
Headquartered in Hyderabad SillyMonks(www.sillymonks.com) is engaged in the business of Digital Marcom, Publishing, Cinema, Television, Music and Events. The company also has presence in Hong Kong, Chennai, Kochi, Mumbai and Bangalore with foot print in Los Angeles.
Sanjay Reddy, Co-Founder & MD
Sanjay holds 25 years of vast experience in television and print media – Walt Disney, ESPN Star Sports, Times of India, Sony TV, Zee Network, & Sun Network – He is also a producer of a Hindi film ‘Dhoop’,launched Gul Panag in Bollywood& acted in ten telugu films. He is also a member of many elite core committees. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjay_Reddy)
Anil Pallala, Co-Founder & COO
Anil holds an extensive experience of 15 years in audio industry worked with companies like Super Good Films& BIG 92.7 FM &Digital Marketing as his career graph depicts many roles. He also co-founded Whacked OutMedia which is a MCN with You Tube.
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.
