Matka King Review
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Date Created: 2026-04-17 17:18
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Matka King Review: Directed and created by Nagraj Manjule alongside Abhay Koranne, this Prime Video series stars Vijay Varma in the lead as Brij Bhatti, alongside Kritika Kamra, Sai Tamhankar, Bhupendra Jadawat, Siddharth Jadhav and others. The series has 8 episodes with a runtime of roughly 50 minutes each.
Matka King Review
In the smoke-filled, always-changing setting of Bombay in the 1960s, Prime Video series Matka King tells the story of Brij Bhatti, a low-level cotton merchant who discovers a groundbreaking concept—to make gambling “more accessible” via the game known as “matka.” The act of rebelling against a biased system quickly transforms into the creation of a dynasty, fueled by optimism, daring, and deception. The rise of Brij also sees the rise of his influence in the entire city, attracting individuals from all walks of life—from workers to politicians to journalists to his own close family members.
What sets Prime Video’s Matka King apart is its main character and the actor playing him. Again, Vijay Varma cements his status as one of the finest actors in the genre. Brij Bhatti, played by Varma, is suave, intelligent, and extremely dangerous; it takes only one look at him to see that he is one of those rare individuals who can make you believe what they’re saying despite everything that is not right about it. There is something in the way he plays the character, whether talking or watching the madness unfolding before him, that commands your attention.
The role of Barkha is played by Sai Tamhankar, and through her performance, she infuses the series with the much-needed emotions while depicting the character of a woman who does not want to remain a silent spectator in her husband’s life. Kritika Kamra plays the role of Gulrukh and brings a certain elegance and mystery to the show, though in terms of character development, she sometimes falls flat.
The aspect of the show which hooks the viewer from the get-go is the premise of “democratisation of gambling.” This is an interesting idea, and the creators have done a great job of illustrating both the empowerment and the exploitation that such an idea can bring. As a character, Brij claims to be an honest gambler, one who gives everyone an equal opportunity; the very ambivalence of his character forms the core theme of the show.
But then again, this is not something consistent for the entire show. Starting with good momentum, Vijay Varma’s Matka King loses some control on the way, especially in the latter part of the show. The story moves in an inconsistent pattern, which includes side stories that are more annoying than contributing anything constructive towards the plot. What was supposed to get tighter with Brij’s internal struggle and his evolving world now appears rather repetitive.
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Predictability seems to be its biggest flaw. Although the show attempts to make Brij a morally complicated character, this does not always seem to happen as much as it should. There are instances where it becomes clear that there is an effort on the side of the narrative to idealise Brij as a lawbreaker instead of going further into the ramifications of such behaviour. Even the “honest criminal” theme that has been used quite effectively in Indian web shows has been utilised in this show.
There is another aspect of the Matka King series that seems to be weak. Even though it tries to depict the atmosphere of 1960s Bombay, it is not entirely successful in doing so. There are many instances where one feels transported back in time thanks to the depiction of the busy marketplace and the secret gambling dens. However, there are some scenes that do not quite fit.
All the same, the show does have some flashes of brilliance. One can see this in the way the psychological aspects associated with gambling are portrayed: the anxiety, the hopelessness, and even the occasional moments of hope. The workings of the matka scheme and the influence it had on people are shown in a manner that one can get a real sense of why it became such a sensation. Moreover, there is a subtle commentary on life in cities such as Mumbai.
In terms of Technicality, the series is good, yet not outstanding. The camera work fulfils its purpose in conveying the atmosphere of the show, and although the music is not outstanding in any way, it fits the plot perfectly and does not distract from it at all.
Prime Video Matka King Review: Summing Up
In the end, Matka King is a fascinating, true-to-life example of an inspirational character and good lead acting, as well as an intriguing theme to boot. The problem is, while the series may be all those things, it isn’t executed in a way that it needs to be. It’s far too comfortable and sticks with what it knows when it should really be pushing boundaries. As far as I am concerned, it is a prime example of a show that keeps your attention but fails to make an impression.
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