Tollywood star Varun Tej is gearing up for his next cinematic venture, ‘Matka’, to be directed by Karuna Kumar. In this film, Varun will share the screen with Meenakshi Chaudhary and Nora Fatehi in pivotal roles. It is revealed that Tej’s character in the movie is inspired by the legendary gambling figure, Matka King Ratan Khatri, reported MSN news.

Ratan Khatri rose to notoriety in the late 1960s for his association with the illegal gambling industry, particularly in the realm of Matka, a popular form of illegal gambling in India during the 1980s. Known for his intellect and expertise, Khatri became an important name in the gambling world, earning both admiration and notoriety.

It is believed that Khatri popularised Matka gambling from Mumbai to different parts of the country. Matka gambling is based on picking chits from matkas (earthen pots). He was known to be close to politicians, film stars and policemen. Khatri belonged to a Sindhi family and came to Mumbai from Karachi after Partition. He passed away in 2020 at age 88. Although Matka gambling is illegal, it still operates secretly in many parts of India.

In ‘Matka’, Varun Tej will portray Ratan Khatri’s persona, capturing his characteristics. The story is set in the world of gambling, where fortunes are made and lost. Tej’s character encounters challenges and adversaries as he navigates the underworld.

However, the production of the film faced a setback and there were rumours of the film being shelved. However, the production stated that the shooting schedule was postponed so that Varun could grow his hair, as he needed longer hair for this role. Tej is set to showcase four different looks throughout the movie.