‘Matka’: Did You Know Varun Tej Konidela-Starrer Is Inspired by Ratan Khatri, Pioneer of ‘Satta Matka’? All You Need To Know About Upcoming Movie, Co-Starring Meenaakshi Chaudhary and Nora Fatehi!

Telugu star Varun Tej Konidela is currently completing the shoot for his upcoming movie, Matka. Recently, the actor finished an extensive shoot schedule in Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, where large sets were built for the film. Matka is reportedly the biggest film in Varun Tej's career, releasing on a pan-India level. The film is a period-action drama that spans the '50s to the '80s and is said to be inspired by the life of Ratan Khatri, otherwise known as the 'Matka King'. VT14 Titled As Matka! Check Out First Look Poster of Varun Tej – Karuna Kumar’s Upcoming Film.

According to a report in Deccan Chronicle, Varun was impressed by how the character was designed in the movie. The report quotes a source saying, "Varun likes to constantly reinvent himself and present himself in new ways to audiences. When he heard the story of Ratan Khatri and his betting activities, he felt there was a lot of drama that could be shown on screen. It’s a new role for him, and he loved the way his character has been designed." However, Matka won't be an exact biopic of Khatri, but rather a larger-than-life film inspired by his life.

Who is Ratan Khatri?

Even though gambling is considered unlawful in India as per the Public Gambling Act of 1867, it is still a popular pastime and a way to make fast money for many in the country through illegal gambling dens and even online betting apps. 'Satta Matka' (which translates to 'pottery betting') is the practice of using earthen pots for lottery purposes. In the '50s, betting was mostly restricted to regions of Mumbai, then known as Bombay, and was played mostly by mill workers who bet on the rates of cotton. This is where Ratan Khatri came into play, becoming a prominent figure in the world of gambling in India. Kalyan Satta Matka King: What Is Satta Matka? Are Betting and Gambling Legal or Illegal in India?

Ratan Khatri was a Sindhi immigrant who came to India from Karachi, Pakistan. Enamoured by the lure of gambling and the obsession people had with it, he changed the game by introducing the 'matka', where pots were used to draw numbers and people with those winning numbers would get the prize money. He also made this form of gambling more accessible to the public, gaining nationwide attention. Later, the 'matka' was replaced by playing cards, but the name persisted to this date.

Shoot in Progress BTS Video of 'Matka':

Of course, this also brought trouble from the law for Khatri, who was even imprisoned during the Emergency period of the '70s. However, he didn't halt his operations, which spread across the country, earning him the epithet 'Matka King'. He retired from his operations in the '90s and passed away on May 10, 2020. What Is Satta Matka or Matka King? How Is The Satta Matka Betting Game Played?

About 'Matka' the Movie

As for Matka, the film seemingly inspired by Ratan Khatri's life, it is directed by Karuna Kumar, known for helming Palasa 1978 and Sridevi Soda Center. The film also stars Meenaakshi Chaudhary, Nora Fatehi, Naveen Chandra, and Kishore. The shoot for the film began in December 2023. Presently, the shoot for Matka is happening in Visakhapatnam, as per Nora Fatehi's Instagram post.

Nora's Post on 'Matka'

Produced by Vyra Entertainments, Matka will be released in multiple languages like Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The release date has not been confirmed yet.

Interestingly, there is a Prime Video series also being made inspired by Ratan Khatri's life. Titled Matka King, the series is directed by Sairaat fame Nagraj Manjule, while Vijay Varma plays the lead.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2024 12:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).