‘Matka King’: Vijay Varma’s Prime Video series gets a release date; teaser out

Streaming giant Prime Video has announced that its upcoming original drama series,Matka King, headlined by Vijay Varma, will premiere on the platform on April 17. The news was announced on Sunday (March 29), on the occasion of Varma’s 40th birthday, with a teaser video that offers a glimpse into the world of the series.

Set in the fast-changing Bombay of the 1960s, the series traces the fictional journey of an enterprising cotton trader who creates a new gambling system, dubbed ‘Matka’, turning an elite pastime into a nationwide phenomenon. “Matka King follows Brij Bhatti, a sharp-minded and enterprising cotton trader, played by the dynamic Vijay Varma, who navigates the fast-changing landscape of 1960s Bombay in pursuit of legitimacy and respect. Set against a world of bustling markets, crowded chawls, and shifting power dynamics, what begins as an ambitious idea soon takes on a life of its own, drawing in people across social strata. As aspirations grow and stakes rise, the series unfolds into a gripping narrative shaped by ambition, power, and belonging,” reads the logline of the series

Matka King is created and written by Abhay Koranne and created and directed by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule. It also features Kritika Kamra, Sai Tamhankar, Siddharth Jadhav, Bhupendra Jadawat, and Gulshan Grover in lead roles, along with Vineet Kumar Singh, Bharat Jadhav, Girish Kulkarni, Jamie Lever, Kishor Kadam, Cyrus Sahukar, Arpita Sethia, Sambhaji Tangade, Ishtiyak Khan, Sanjivv Jotangia, and Simran Ashwini in pivotal roles.

The series is produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, Gargi Kulkarni, Ashwini Sidwani, and Ashish Aryan, under the banners of Roy Kapur Films, Aatpat, and SMR Productions.

“The tale of Brij Bhatti’s rise as the Matka King is equal parts fascinating and cautionary. We are thrilled to have partnered with Roy Kapur Films, Aatpat, and SMR Productions to bring this bold story to viewers,” said Nikhil Madhok, director & head of Originals, Prime Video, India. ”

Siddharth Roy Kapur, co-producer, shared, “What drew us to Matka King was the scale and uniqueness of the world it is set in, and the story of an individual navigating ambition, identity, and the pursuit of respect in a rapidly evolving society. It is a narrative rooted in a specific time and place, yet universally relatable in its exploration of human aspirations and choices. Combining forces with Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, whose extraordinary work I have always admired, has been extremely rewarding. And the talented Abhay Koranne, with whom we have successfully collaborated before, has brought a distinct creative vision and authenticity to the storytelling.”