iWorld
Smaaash Entertainment appoints Shirish Kotmire as CEO
Mumbai: Gaming and entertainment centre operator Smaaash Entertainment has announced the appointment of Shirish Kotmire as its new CEO.
Kotmire brings about three decades of experience in aggressive growth-oriented mature global companies as well as successful new ventures and start-ups. “He is a quintessential growth hack that demonstrates entrepreneurial spirit in all his endeavours with innovation, team building, professional work ethic and techno commercial savviness,” said the statement.
Based out of Mumbai, Kotmire’s immediate task will be to build a team of experienced CXO who shall anchor the transformation journey of Smaaash to create new benchmarks in this industry, the company said.
“We are elated to have Shirish Kotmire in our team at Smaaash, he has experience in marquee retail, technology brands, and promoter-driven ventures,” said Smaaash Entertainment founder and chief imagination officer Shripal Morakhia. “At 63, I worked hard to resurrect Smaaash in the last six months. It was high time that a professional leadership team took over to guide Smaaash to new heights. The appointment of Shirish as the CEO is the first step in that direction. With his vast experience in creating value across businesses we look forward to his leadership to deliver same store growths as well as execute the blitzkrieg of new stores expansion nationally”.
“I am honored and pleased to accept the privilege of heading Smaaash and strengthening the position of Smaaash as the fun, party, play, bonding and entertainment destination for informal friends’ groups, corporate and retail customers along with building digital engagement with them,” said Shirish Kotmire.
He added, “Our consumers have grown up on Smaaash over the last 11 years and have a strong affinity to the brand. In our second inning, we are giving a classy environment along with a potent combination of gaming-bowling, go-karting, arcade and VR games along with a pocket-friendly resto bar to relax after a tiring but fun gaming time. To build stickiness and exploit opportunities in the growing gaming space, we are on the cusp of introducing exciting innovative formats in the physical edutainment space also”.
Shirish holds a postgraduate diploma in Marketing from IIM Bangalore and did his graduation bachelor of technology computer engineering from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka. “With his vast skill set in monetizing assets by innovation in sales, marketing and technology it makes him the ideal choice as the CEO at Smaaash,” said the statement.
His previous companies in leadership positions include Reliance Retail GVK-Mumbai International Airport, Bharti Airtel, Rediff.com and Asian Paints, among others. The top skills which his seniors and colleagues acknowledge are business development, financial planning, business strategy, and execution as well as team management.
He is passionate about mentoring start-up co-founders as well as sharing his entrepreneurship leanings through skill-based courses as a visiting faculty in SPJIMR, Mumbai.
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.
