Vijay Varma Wraps Up ‘Matka King’: A Gritty Dive into 1960s Mumbai’s Gambling Underworld

Directed by Nagraj Manjule, the upcoming Prime Video series explores the rise of Matka gambling through the eyes of an ambitious cotton trader, featuring a stellar ensemble cast.

Vijay Varma has officially concluded filming for his forthcoming crime thriller series, Matka King, set to premiere on Prime Video. To commemorate the wrap, Varma shared a photo on Instagram of a custom-made cake shaped like a matka (earthen pot), captioned, “Matka King Wrapped!”

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Nagraj Manjule, known for Sairat and Fandry, Matka King delves into the gritty world of 1960s Mumbai. The series chronicles the journey of a cotton trader who introduces a new gambling game called Matka, revolutionizing the city’s betting scene and making it accessible to the masses.

The ensemble cast includes Kritika Kamra, Sai Tamhankar, Gulshan Grover, and Siddharth Jadhav, each playing pivotal roles that add depth to the narrative. The series is produced under the Roy Kapur Films banner by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Nagraj Manjule, along with Gargi Kulkarni, Ashish Aryan, and Ashwini Sidwani. The screenplay is co-written by Abhay Koranne and Nagraj Manjule.
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Matka King is inspired by real events, shedding light on how the Matka gambling phenomenon transformed Mumbai’s socio-economic landscape during the 1960s. The game, which started as betting on cotton prices from the New York Cotton Exchange, evolved into a widespread form of gambling that captivated the city.

In addition to Matka King, Vijay Varma is set to appear in Ul Jalool Ishq, directed by Vibhu Puri, alongside Sharib Hashmi, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Naseeruddin Shah.
The Times of India
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Stay tuned for more updates on Matka King and other upcoming Hindi cinema releases.