Varun Tej’s ‘Matka’ Movie Review: The Rise of a Gambler Turned Gangster

Cast: Varun Tej, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Nora Fatehi, Naveen Chandra, Kishore Kumar, Ajay Ghosh, Ravindra Vijay, Mime Gopi, Rupalakshmi, and others.

Writer and Director: Karuna Kumar

Music: G. V. Prakash

Cinematography: Kishore Kumar

Editing: Karthikeya Srinivas

Producers: Rajani Talluri, Vijender Reddy Teegal

Release Date: November 14, 2024

The latest action entertainer starring mega hero Varun Tej, ‘Matka,’ directed by Karuna Kumar and featuring Meenakshi Chaudhary as the female lead, has been produced jointly by Vijender Reddy Teegal and Rajani Talluri. The film team has vigorously promoted it as a significant career booster for Varun. The recently released trailers, teasers, and promotional materials have heightened expectations. Has the film, released on November 14, lived up to expectations? Has it delivered success to Varun, who has been struggling with flops? Let’s find out in this review.

Plot

The movie ‘Matka’ is a gangster story spanning from 1958 to 1982. Based on the life of a gangster named Ratan Khatri who migrated from Pakistan to Mumbai, this film unfolds. Regarding the story of ‘Matka’… Vasu (Varun Tej) comes from Burma to Visakhapatnam in search of livelihood. He works as a laborer and faces numerous hardships. Vasu has a goal to achieve something significant in life. In this pursuit, he steps into the world of Matka gambling, which unexpectedly turns his career around. Excelling in Matka, he rises to a level that no one else can reach. He ascends to the level of controlling the system as a gangster. How did an ordinary young man become Matka Vasu? What challenges did he face in this journey? Who is Sujata? What is her love story with Vasu? You’ll need to watch the movie to find out.

Performance

It can be said that Varun Tej (Matka Movie Review) has excelled as Vasu. With ‘Matka,’ he has stepped up his acting game. He has meticulously crafted his look, hairstyle, and walk to do justice to his role. He impressed with variations in his character appropriate to his age. Meenakshi Chaudhary got a significant role, and her chemistry with Varun worked well. Bollywood beauty Nora Fatehi, in the role of Sophia, created magic. With her charm, she captivated the audience. Saloni from ‘Maryada Ramanna’ fame, along with Naveen Chandra and Satyam Rajesh, appeared in key roles. The rest of the cast performed well within their scope.

Direction

Based on the life story of gangster Ratan Khatri (Matka Movie Review), director Karan Kumar crafted this film. He captivated with his excellent direction set in the 1970s and 1980s. The director succeeded in presenting his envisioned story accurately. Particularly, choosing Varun Tej for Vasu’s role and extracting an outstanding performance from him is a complete success for the director. He excellently presented how an ordinary young man, Vasu, became a significant figure by exploiting Matka gambling to control the country. However, the director faltered a bit with the screenplay. Occasional drag in scenes and a lack of strong background for characters other than Varun are negatives.

Technically…

On the technical front (Matka Movie Review), the cinematography was a significant plus. Cinematographer Kishore Kumar took the audience back to the 1970s with his expertise. The art department also worked hard to deliver an authentic periodic experience. Music director G. V. Prakash’s songs were not particularly memorable, but the background music was good, enhancing the action sequences. The editing was okay, and the production values were high.

Plus Points

– Varun Tej’s acting

– Action sequences

– Cinematography

Minus Points

– Screenplay

– Dragging scenes

– Songs

Rating by Telugu.yousay.tv: 2.5/5