- By Swati Singh
- Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:24 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The upcoming series Matka King starring Vijay Varma is inspired by the real-life story of Ratan Khatri, a prominent figure in the 1960s Mumbai gambling scene. It highlights the notorious gambling networks of the era but is described as a fictionalised drama rather than a direct biopic of Khatri's life.
Who was Ratan Khatri?
According to Times of India, Ratan Khatri (1932–2020) was widely regarded as the real Matka King, a migrant from Pakistan who developed a nationwide underground gambling network. He transformed 'matka' (betting on numbers) into a massive industry by basing results on opening and closing rates of cotton transmitted from the New York Cotton Exchange.
At its peak, his 'Ratan Matka' system reportedly handled daily turnovers of Rs 1 crore and was famous for its transparency and fairness. Khatri was imprisoned for 19 months during the Emergency (1975–1977) and retired from the business in the early 1990s before passing away in 2020.
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The series, produced by Roy Kapur Films and directed by Nagraj Manjule, focuses on 1960s Mumbai. While the series explores real events and figures from that era to portray the rise of the gambling culture in Bombay, it takes creative liberties with the narrative. This is separate from the 2024 Telugu film Matka, featuring Varun Tej, which is also inspired by Ratan Khatri but is a distinct, fictionalised story.
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When and where to watch Matka King on OTT?
Matka King will start streaming on Amazon Prime Video on April 17, 2026.