Review: Matka - Routine and Dull

 

Movie: Matka
Rating:2.25/5

Cast: Varun Tej, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Nora Fatehi, Kishore, Naveen Chandra, Ajay Ghosh, Satyam Rajesh and Others

Director: Karuna Kumar

Produced By: Vyra Entertainments, SRT Entertainments

Release Date: November 14, 2024

Story:

Vasu (Varun Tej) is sent to juvenile jail for a murder in his childhood. He gets used to doing petty criminal activities for money. The rest of the story is about how this small-time criminal becomes a mafia kingpin in the Matka business and what problems he faces during his journey. 

Performances:

Varun Tej got a good role that has enough variations, and he did complete justice to it. His dialogue delivery in crucial scenes is too good and his performances in some emotional scenes, for example, the pre climax scene where he narrates his story to his daughter is worth mentioning. Meenakshi Chaudhary was just there for a few scenes and there is nothing unforgettable about her character. Nora Fatehi, Kishore, Naveen Chandra, Ajay Ghosh, Satyam Rajesh and others were alright.

What worked for the film:

Directed by Karuna Kumar, Matka starts with showing the most important incident of Vasu's life, swiftly transitioning to his rise. The period setting looks authentic, and a few dialogues here and there work properly during the first half. The two crucial episodes in the second half, like Vasu learning about the real person behind the attack on his family, and the way he handles the goons while his daughter is in danger at the climax, worked effectively for the film.

What did not work for the film:

The major problem for Matka, is that despite it having the perfect potential of an action drama, it does not live up to the expectations because of absence of engaging narration. Except for the two decent parts in the second half, there is not a single, solid elevation scene that could describe the rise of Vasu in the crime world. The villain and side characters behave very conveniently and do not show up as worthy opponents to the protagonist. The crucial moments, particularly when Vasu reveals Matka after participating in a game on a train, are indeed intriguing on paper. However, the actual scene does not display the same power. The love track or family scenes do not add any value to the film, but they become the reason for the unnecessary lengthy runtime. The director also throws in some silly scenes, such as the Prime Minister's concerns regarding the influx of money into the country, which appear relatively funny because of the lack of a cohesive narrative.

Matka Review and Verdict:

Matka has a true-to-life and interesting premise, but it largely lacks excitement because of the bland tone. The proceedings never surprise or produce the required high moments, leading to an unsatisfying experience.