iWorld
Social media ‘Ae Dil Lets Airbnb’ contest starts
NEW DELHI: A social media contest has been launched to celebrate the upcoming smash release of ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil,‘ a Bollywood feature starring Fawad Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Community-driven hospitality company Airbnb in its ‘Ae Dil Lets Airbnb’ contest gives participants a chance to live the ‘Ae Dil’ lifestyle by revisiting the characters’ on-screen journeys in London or Paris, including local recommendations from the stars such as Ranbir Kapoor’s favourite restaurant and Karan Johar’s preferred cafes and insider shopping spots.
This curated access to two of the world’s most dynamic cities mirrors the central ethos of Airbnb, offering unique, local insight that lets you “Live like a local.”
Dharma Productions head and director Karan Johar said: “London’s grandeur and the romance of Paris have always enticed Bollywood buffs from every generation. The contest is a great way for travelers and Bollywood aficionados to relive the romance of film. I am thrilled to see Airbnb recreate the ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ experience for fans by giving them a chance to win a transformative journey in two of the world’s most iconic cities.”
Prospective participants have to create a dream ‘Wishlist’ of five Airbnb properties in London or Paris on the Airbnb platform (either website or app). Participants can make as many wishlists as desired and title them under a cinematic name to increase their chances of winning. Two lucky winners will be selected based on the most creative name for their Wishlist and will get the chance to travel to either London or Paris with a guest.
The contest opened today and closes on 30 October 2016 at noon. Each of the two winners will receive (one winner for London and one winner for Paris) a 3 nights/4 days stay for the winner and one friend.
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.
