A character in the Telugu movie Matka, directed by Karuna Kumar, questions how a company might be successful with little funding. “We sell hope and buy trust,” says the main character, Varun Tej‘s character Vasudev, who is modeled by the renowned gambler Ratan Khatri, popularly known as the “Matka King.” His words give vitality to an otherwise formulaic plot, as does a previous train scene that illustrates the addictive nature of gambling and its effects on regular people.

Khatri is credited with creating Matka, a gambling game that started out as a spin-off of cotton trades where traders wagered. In the 1970s, this game apparently had an impact on the economy and became popular throughout India. The fictitious plot inspired by the “Matka King” offers abundant space for drama, addressing themes of virtue versus evil, with people who swap loyalties for personal and political benefit.

Varun Tej and Meenakshi Chaudhary star in Karuna Kumar’s Telugu film Matka, which tells the story of a gambler who rises from poverty to riches with bets so large they could endanger the Indian economy. The protagonist is framed in Khatri’s image by Karuna Kumar, who also authored the script and language. However, he adapts the plot for Telugu cinema by setting it in Visakhapatnam instead of Bombay at the time. In order to replicate the style and feel of the late 1950s to early 1980s, he selects Varun Tej, who gives authenticity to the lead character, and assembles a skilled technical team.

With its lively nightclub scenes, the port city backdrop offers the possibility of delving into the criminal underground and its political ties. But what actually happens on film is a rags-to-riches tale that is often repeated, with little chance for surprise because every step is detailed in detail.

When Matka begins in 1982, a CBI officer (Naveen Chandra) describes Vasudev’s travels and labels him a criminal by birth. Using black-and-white frames, cinematographer Kishore Kumar portrays Vasudev’s early years after his arrival as a refugee from Burma in the late 1950s. What follows is based on his background, which was molded by his survival as a young person in a detention facility and as a refugee.

The subsequent events, which follow a predictable pattern, demonstrate how Vasudev seizes every chance to live and bides his time until he strikes. When Vasudev gets released from prison as a young man and attempts to earn a life, the true narrative starts. The gambler’s life isn’t glorified in the entertaining movie.

A number of personalities appear, some of whom support Vasudev and others who exploit him when the opportunity arises. Vasudev is presented in these passages as someone who hasn’t completely lost his sense of morality. For instance, he and Sujata (Meenakshi Chaudhary) have a respectful and dignified relationship. Although it would have been intriguing to follow their trip together more, the movie quickly shifts its focus to gambling. Meenakshi makes the most of a little role and excels in it. It’s unfortunate that the movie doesn’t capitalize more on her character’s potential and Vasudev’s character.

Vasudev’s rapid ascent to fame and fortune and eventual fall from grace do not provide for an engaging visual experience as the narrative goes on. For viewers of gangster dramas portrayed as biopics, such as Sarkar, Nayakan, The Godfather, and others, Matka feels like a pale imitation of those gripping stories and offers little new. Even if Vasudev’s acts suggest his goals, a scenario in which he attempts to explain his good or bad nature comes out as uninspired. His intentions are already evident when he confronts a significant figure in a room.

Varun Tej portrays Vasudev’s fight for existence in his youth with sincerity, and he portrays his latter years with conviction and haughtiness. But he is never given the opportunity to develop into the strong character he may be because of the writing. Occasionally, Vasudev is shown as a ringmaster who must make difficult choices while balancing on the brink of extinction, but these aspects aren’t employed well for clever narrative.

Matka has a number of supporting characters, including John Vijay as another uninteresting villain, Nora Fatehi as the attractive assistant of a powerful politician, and Satyam Rajesh and Ajay Ghosh as Vasudev’s allies. None, however, make an impression that lasts.
The dull narrative is not made any more exciting by references to the Emergency in the middle of the 1970s or the demonetization of high-denomination notes. The monotony is increased by the songs (by G.V. Prakash Kumar) feeling out of place. When the protagonist reveals his whole strategy, the pre-climax and climax parts are a complete failure. There isn’t much left to invest in because the audience is well aware of the characters’ shifting allegiances.

To put it briefly:

Varun Tej starred in Matka, which came out on November 14.
Varun's performance was hailed by fans as "the best of his career."
Nora Fatehi and Meenakshi Chaudhary also feature in the movie.

Matka, a pan-Indian film starring Telugu actor Varun Tej, opened in theaters on November 14. Both reviewers and viewers responded well to Matka, even if it conflicted with Suriya’s much awaited Kanguva. Fans praised the film’s script, background music, and Varun Tej’s “career-best performance” in their reviews posted on social media after seeing it.

The last time we saw Varun Tej was in the August release of Gandeevadhari Arjuna. Tej appears in a hitherto unseen role in Matka, which was directed by Karuna Kumar. Meenakshi Chaudhary and Nora Fatehi play important parts in the movie as well.

On X (previously Twitter), one spectator posted a detailed review, complimenting Varun Tej’s “captivating script selection” and the first half of the movie. “The latter half places a stronger emphasis on drama,” they added.The sequences of retaliation are executed quite skillfully. Varun gave a once-in-a-lifetime performance. I had a great time