Matka REVIEW: Is Varun Tej's first pan-India movie worth your money?

Mega hero Varun Tej is known for his experiments. Since the beginning of his career, he has tried many new types of subjects. However, he has been facing consecutive failures for some time. His last two films, Gandeevadhari Arjuna and Operation Valentine, were disasters and didn't receive minimal support. This has affected Varun Tej's market, impacting his latest movie, Matka. Matka's advance bookings were dismal.
 

Matka needs positive word-of-mouth to generate revenue. The film was released on November 14 in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. Karuna Kumar of Palasa fame directed this film. Meenakshi Chaudhary is the heroine. Ajay Ghosh, Ravi Shankar, and Nora Fatehi played other key roles. GV Prakash Kumar composed the music for Matka, produced by Vijender Reddy Teegala and Rajani Talluri. 

Matka is based on the life of gangster Ratan Khatri. The story revolves around how Ratan Khatri, from an oppressed community, rose to become a gangster through the illegal Matka gambling. Varun Tej plays the role of Ratan, also known as Matka Vasu. Audience reviews suggest Matka is an average movie. The periodic setup, sets, and artwork effectively reflect the era.
 

The production values and visuals are impressive, especially Varun's acting, getups, and characterization. GV Prakash Kumar's music is decent, and other actors have done their best. However, the story lacks novelty. Despite being based on real events, the influence of periodic crime dramas like KGF and Pushpa is evident.
 

Social media comments suggest that the screenplay and scenes haven't fully captivated the audience. Meenakshi Chaudhary's role is also limited. The average first half is followed by a similarly average second half. The audience hasn't connected emotionally with Matka Vasu's character. 

Overall, Matka receives primarily average reviews. A full review is needed to determine the movie's outcome. Meanwhile, Kanguva, released as competition, also received mixed reviews. The big-budget action entertainer starring Suriya hasn't fully satisfied the audience, with negative reviews appearing on social media. 

This could benefit Matka. With poor advance bookings, Matka needs positive reviews to break even. The audience will appreciate good content, as evidenced by the Diwali releases of K, Lucky Bhaskar, and Amaran. It remains to be seen what verdict the audience will give Varun Tej's film.