'Matka' is directed by Karuna Kumar, who debuted in the industry with 'Palasa 1978', which revolved around caste discrimination.
Published Sep 13, 2024 | 11:16 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 13, 2024 | 11:16 AM
Varun Tej's 'Matka' enters last leg of shooting. (X)
Varun Tej and Meenakshi Chaudhary’s pan-India movie Matka is in its final leg of shooting at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad.
Sharing the news of the film nearing completion, the makers wrote on X: “And, the End Game Begins… The final schedule of Mega Prince Varun Tej’s #MATKA is underway with some key sequences being shot in RFC. Exciting updates coming your way.”
According to reports, Matka is the costliest project of Varun Tej to date, and the actor has his hopes pinned on it.
Nora Fatehi, Kishore Kumar G, Naveen Chandra and Ravindra Vijay are also a part of this massive project.
The Matka posters feature Varun Tej in a menacing avatar, with a cigar and a salt-and-pepper look. One of the posters also showcases a glass of alcohol, a gun and a stash of cash in its background.
Few reports suggested that the film is based on the Matka King Ratan Khatri, who gained prominence in the late 1960s in North India due to his links to the illegal gaming industry.
Ratan Khatri’s name became closely associated with the Matka world, an illegal gambling practice that was popular in North India in the 1980s.
And, the End Game Begins… ❤️🔥
The final schedule of Mega Prince @IamVarunTej‘s #MATKA is underway with some key sequences being shot in RFC 💥
Exciting updates coming your way 🤟@KKfilmmaker @Meenakshiioffl #NoraFatehi @gvprakash @drteegala9 #RajaniTalluri @itsRamTalluri pic.twitter.com/zzetcrEgVc
— SRT Entertainments (@SRTmovies) September 12, 2024
Matka is directed by Karuna Kumar, who debuted in the industry with Palasa 1978. The 2020 film revolved around caste discrimination and untouchability. It was critically acclaimed for its making and performances.
Karuna Kumar directed three movies since his debut—Metro Kathalu (2020), Sridevi Soda Center (2021), and Kalapuram (2022), all of them are small-budget ventures.
Matka is his first big-budget film, produced jointly by Vyra Entertainments and SRT Entertainments. GV Prakash Kumar is composing the music. A Kishor Kumar is the cinematographer. Karthika Srinivas R is the editor.
On the work front, Varun Tej was recently seen in the pan-Indian film Operation Valentine, directed by Shakti Pratap Singh Hada. The action drama is based on the 2019 Pulwama attack and the Balakot Air Strikes of 2019 by the Indian Air Force.
The movie opened to mixed reviews. While the actor’s performance was lauded, the clumsy writing and patchy graphic works drew severe criticism from critics and audiences.
Varun Tej’s Gandeevadhari Arjuna (2023), an action thriller helmed by Praveen Sattaru, bombed at the box office. Even his Ghani (2022) with director Kiran Korrapati was a flop.
F3: Fun and Frustration (2022), a sequel to the 2019 superhit flick F2: Fun and Frustration, was the last hit Varun Tej delivered. Hence, the actor is pinning huge hopes on Matka.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
