Writer-director Karuna Kumar helms the much-anticipated period gangster drama Matka, starring Varun Tej. It marks a fresh route for Karuna at helming a star-driven film as he made a name for his films with real and gritty social consciousness stories, such as Palasa 1978 (2020) and Sridevi Soda Centre (2021). With Matka, too, Karuna promises to bring some of his social consciousness elements to go with commercial appeal and an unforgettable performance by lead actor Varun.
The idea for Matka came to Karuna Kumar in an unexpected place: a wedding in Vizag. “I was sitting next to someone related to my wife’s family, who worked as a ‘Punter’ in the Matka gambling world,” he recalls. “Before that, I had only known about lotteries and had no idea about Matka. But after this interaction, I became intrigued and began researching the game and the historical context of Vizag’s One Town area.” Initially, he imagined a short story, titled Vaadipoyina Poolu, about the rise and fall of a man involved in Matka. However, the more he delved into the subject, the more he realised the cinematic potential of the story, eventually turning it into the full-length feature now known as Matka.
Karuna Kumar states that his film is infused with a social consciousness that is as much a part of his filmography as the characters and setting. “I often hear people say that Telugu cinema lacks depth compared to Malayalam or Tamil films. I disagree. Telugu literature has a rich heritage, rivaled only by Bengali literature in India,” he declares. “Films like Malapilla (1937) explored social issues and caste discrimination well before many other industries did. But somewhere along the way, we stopped translating our stories authentically onto the screen, which limited our reach.”
He believes this lack of representation has also restricted the influence of Telugu stars in other regions. “For instance, Chiranjeevi gaaru has done more films than Rajinikanth gaaru, but Telugu stars of those days have not managed to establish the same dual-state presence. Part of the reason is our own reluctance to bring authentic Telugu stories to the forefront. With Matka, I wanted to create a film that’s commercially entertaining but still resonates with my sensibilities as a storyteller,” he elaborates.
Matka also marks a departure from Karuna’s previous films, where the storytelling leaned more on raw authenticity. “In Palasa 1978, the narrative was completely raw and unfiltered. Sridevi Soda Center saw a blend of commercial and raw elements, while Matka takes a purer commercial approach,” he shares. Drawing comparisons with films like Asuran (2019), starring Dhanush, he highlights the balance he aimed for, “I wanted to create something that had the thrill and style of a commercial film but still retained that raw edge.”
The protagonist, Vasu, is an intriguing character with a unique backstory. Unlike Ratan Khatri, a historical figure known as the real “Matka King," Vasu is portrayed as a Burmese refugee who finds his way to Vizag. “Vizag has always been a melting pot, home to Anglo-Indians, traders, and even Burmese refugees,” Karuna reflects. “This cosmopolitan mix influenced my decision to make Vasu a migrant. His story is not based on Ratan Khatri, though the idea of a single man, in the 70s with no proper communication devices like today, delivering a number nationwide at precisely 5 PM every day inspired me.”
Casting Varun Tej as Vasu was a decision that Karuna Kumar attributes to the backing of the production house Vyra Entertainments. “I had written the story first, without any particular actor in mind. When Vyra Entertainments suggested Varun Tej, I knew he would be perfect for the role,” he says. Karuna is confident in Varun Tej’s portrayal, describing it as a standout performance that audiences will remember for years. “This is Varun Tej’s finest performance. Even after a decade, if performance comes to mind, people will be talking about Varun Tej,” he states confidently.
Contrary to theories, Matka is not inspired by The Godfather (1972). “I know people think it’s inspired by The Godfather, but believe it or not, I’ve never watched it,” Karuna laughs. Instead, he drew from the atmospheres of films like Scarface (1983) and Goodfellas (1990). “I was particularly influenced by the gritty environments in those films, which provided an ideal reference for the world we’re trying to create in Matka,” he explains.
Attention to detail has been critical to bringing the world of Matka to life. Karuna, who considers himself a bit “old-school,” invested heavily in pre-production and storyboarding. “Every frame and scene was storyboarded in advance,” he reveals. “For set design, we even created miniatures to visualise the scenes. I’m very particular about getting the details right. For example, for a small scene where we needed vintage movie posters on the wall, we didn’t just download random images. Instead, we digitised and recreated posters from that era to ensure they looked authentic.” His meticulousness paid off with the film, as initially slated for an 82-day shoot, they wrapped up in 79 days.
Matka, produced by Vyra Entertainments and SRT Entertainments, stars Varun Tej as Vasu and Meenakshi Chaudhary as Vasu’s wife, with Nora Fatehi and a strong supporting cast including Naveen Chandra, Ajay Ghosh, and Kannada Kishore. The film’s technical team includes composer GV Prakash Kumar and cinematographer A Kishore Kumar. The gritty gangster drama is coming to the screens on November 14 in major pan-Indian languages.