Rating: 3.5 / 5
Mumbai, 1964. A city of cotton mills, chawls, and quiet desperation, and one man who decides to change the rules of the game forever. Matka King, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is a Hindi web series that dives deep into the underground gambling world that once gripped India’s financial capital. This Indian crime drama web series is bold, atmospheric, and one of the most talked-about OTT releases of 2026.
Vijay Varma plays Brij Bhatti, a cotton exchange worker drowning in debt who stumbles upon a way to turn the city’s hunger for luck into an empire. It is one of Vijay Varma’s finest performances, restrained where most actors would overplay, and deeply human where the script demands weight. Sai Tamhankar as Barkha, his wife, brings quiet strength to every scene she occupies. Kritika Kamra as the enigmatic Gulrukh adds glamour and complexity in equal measure, while Gulshan Grover as the scheming Lalji Bhai is perfectly menacing. The Matka King cast, rounded out by seasoned Marathi stalwarts Bhupendra Jadawat, Girish Kulkarni, and Bharat Jadhav, feels lived-in and real.
Directed by Nagraj Manjule, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Sairat and Jhund – Matka King carries his signature eye for the underdog. Written by Abhay Koranne, the screenplay is sharpest in its early episodes, where the mechanics of the Matka gambling system are laid out with genuine intrigue. The background score by Amit Trivedi keeps the tension simmering through the 8-episode run. The production design of 1960s Bombay is detailed and convincing, though the pacing loses some steam in the middle stretch, and a few character arcs feel rushed before the cliffhanger finale.
Is Matka King worth watching?
Yes, especially if you enjoy character-driven period crime dramas in the vein of Scam 1992 and Lucky Baskhar. Vijay Varma carries this series on his shoulders with ease, and Nagraj Manjule’s direction gives it a soul that most crime dramas lack. It is not flawless, but it is compelling, binge-worthy, and currently trending at #1 in India on Amazon Prime Video.
