Release Date : November 14, 2024
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Varun Tej, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Nora Fatehi, Kishore, Naveen Chandra, Ajay Ghosh and others
Director : Karuna Kumar
Producers : Vijender Reddy Teegala, Rajani Talluri
Music Director: G. V. Prakash Kumar
Cinematographer: A. Kishor Kumar
Editor : Karthika Srinivas
Related Links : Trailer
Varun Tej has been going through a dull phase in his career with back-to-back flops. He is now back with his new film, Matka, which has hit the screens today. Let’s see if the film lives up to all the hype or not.
Story
Matka kicks off in the late 1950s. Vasu (Varun Tej) comes to Vizag as a refugee from Burma. Very soon, he gets into the crime world and becomes a top businessman in the region. But a sudden trip to Mumbai introduces him to the game of matka. Fascinated by it, he introduces it in Vizag and becomes the Matka king in no time. But in life, what goes up always comes down. The same happens with Vasu, as his Makta empire is threatened by the Indian government. The rest of the story is all about how Vasu saves his empire and what happens to him in the end.
Plus Points
Varun Tej plays the Matka King, and his performance is the best part of the film. Varun Tej is showcased in different age groups, and he does extremely well. But he comes into his element in the second half and is solid as the gangster. Meenakshi Chaudhary hardly gets enough scenes, but she makes her presence felt despite the limited screentime.
The second half of the film has decent drama and showcases passable emotions. Naveen Chandra is very good in his role, but his character should have gotten more screen space. One of the biggest highlights is the production design. The bygone era is showcased in a superb manner with realistic approach.
Ajay Bhupathi was okay in his role. A scene where Varun Tej chops off the hand of a man who cheats him in the Matka business is showcased well. Nora Fatehi gets a good role and does well in her character.
Minus Points
One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is the storyline, which is dull and outdated. A man coming out from nowhere, becoming a criminal, growing from rags to riches, and finding enemies has been showcased in so many films before, and the same happens in Matka.
Yet another drawback of the film is the first half, which is dull and boring. The journey of Vasu from a small-time criminal is showcased in a boring manner. The thrills required for such films are completely missing in Matka.
Director Karuna Kumar takes forever to enter the main story. Even in the second half, things get predictable from the word go. There is not much grip in the proceedings, as the drama is routine and does not have exciting thrills. The sad part is that there are no high moments that hold your attention till the end.
The narrative is flat, and after a point, the conflict is not handled properly. The character arcs of many key characters are half baked. What keeps the film going is the performance by Varun Tej, which is quite sincere.
Technical Aspects
As said earlier, the production values of the film are top notch and give the film a realistic approach. The art department needs applause as they have executed the production design in a superb manner. GV Prakash has composed the music, and his songs are dull. But what’s even worse is his BGM. It looks like he has no interest in the proceedings and composed the background score in a dull manner. The dialogues by Karuna Kumar are very good. The editing is bad in the first half, as close to ten minutes could have been chopped off.
Coming to the director Karuna Kumar, he is known to narrate his films with proper drama, but that does not happen in Matka. The emotions do not gel with the proceedings, and the film runs on a flat note.
The worst part of the film is that in the key pre-climax and climax portions, not one but two songs are unleashed, making things boring. Karuna Kumar has taken an interesting story and could have added a lot of thrills, style, and drama, but that does not happen, and Matka ends up being a huge mess. A lengthy dialogue mouthed by Varun Tej is the only solace in the second half.
Verdict
On the whole, Matka is just an okay watch and has some passable thrills here and there. The story is routine and utterly predictable. Varun Tej, with his sincere performance, is the only saving grace of this otherwise bland period drama. Do keep your expectations in check while watching the movie.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team