iWorld
UP Govt Project executed by Network 18 ‘Sound of Kumbha’ nominated for Grammy
MUMBAI: Network18’s Sounds of Kumbha, a sweeping 12-track production celebrating India’s spiritual grandeur, has earned a nomination at the 68th Grammy Awards in the best global music album category.
Commissioned by the government of Uttar Pradesh as a cultural tribute to the Mahakumbha in Prayagraj and globally distributed by Universal Music India, the album brings together more than 50 artists from India and across the world. Recorded across continents, it seeks to capture the pulse and prayer of the world’s largest gathering of humanity, the Mahakumbha, which drew over 600 million pilgrims earlier this year.
Produced by Siddhant Bhatia alongside Jim “Kimo” West, Madi Das, Ron Korb, Charu Suri, Raghav Mehta, and Devraj Sanyal, the album’s ensemble is as diverse as its message. From Ravi Shankar and Bhanumathi Narasimhan to Raja Kumari, Kanika Kapoor, Aditya Gadhvi, Kala Ramnath, V. Selvaganesh, Yashraj, and Pravin Godkhindi, Sounds of Kumbha blends classical, devotional, and global sounds into one transcendent chorus.
At its heart, the album echoes the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” one earth, one family, one future, embodying Mahakumbha’s message of peace and unity.
“The whole world is one human family, and we belong to one light, one spirit,” said Ravi Shankar. “This message comes alive through the music of Sounds of Kumbha.”
Producer and composer Siddhant Bhatia called the Grammy nod “a tribute to oneness”, adding, “The Mahakumbha united over 500 million souls in prayer and purpose. Its recognition on the Grammy stage reminds us that faith and music together can heal, unite, and uplift our world.”
With Sounds of Kumbha now resonating on a global stage, India’s eternal festival of peace has found a timeless new voice, one that sings of harmony beyond borders.
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.
