Matka

Action Crime Telugu

Set between the years 1958 and 1982, Matka tells the story of Vasu, who rises from poverty to create a powerful gambling empire in India, ultimately leading the nation into a battle with the government. Based on real events, the tale explores themes of love, moral choices, and the consequences of ambition.

Cast:	Varun Tej, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Nora Fatehi, Naveen Chandra, Ajay Ghosh, Kishore
Director:	Karuna Kumar
Writer:	Karuna Kumar
Editor:	Karthika Srinivas
Camera:	A. Kishore Kumar

Guild Reviews

Varun Tej anchors a meandering film that says a lot but conveys little

FCG Member Reviewer Avinash Ramachandran

Avinash Ramachandran | The New Indian Express

Sun, December 1 2024

Varun Tej is the epicentre of this sprawling saga that wants to be a lot but ends up becoming a middling shadow of what it could have been

A young boy comes to a new city. The city is unkind to him and his mother. He makes a promise that the city will know of his name… soon. A few years later, he goes on to make such a big name that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is forced to intervene. Then, the antagonists and the system decide to take on the one man who wanted to rule it all. This is the story of KGF. Incidentally, this is also the story of Varun Tej’s latest film, Matka.

A sincere Varun Tej cannot salvage this boring drama

FCG Member Reviewer Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

Sangeetha Devi Dundoo | The Hindu

Sun, November 17 2024

Director Karuna Kumar’s Telugu film ‘Matka’ scores in its attention to the period setting but falls way short of leveraging its potential to be a soaring drama

How does a business venture that does not require much investment work, a character wonders in director Karuna Kumar’s Telugu film Matka. We sell hope and buy people’s trust, explains the protagonist (Varun Tej as Vasu) whose character is inspired by gambler Ratan Khatri, also known as the ‘matka’ king. His statement and the scenes on a train that precede it, showing the potential for gambling and how it can turn ordinary citizens into addicts, perk up an otherwise predictable narrative.