Nagraj Manjule, Siddharth Roy Kapur to create 'Matka King' series
Nagraj Manjule, director of the noted Marathi film Sairat, will now make a series on an infamous gambler. And, he will be backed by Siddharth Roy Kapur via his Roy Kapur Films for this project. The series, to be titled Matka King, will focus on the life of Ratan Khatri, the founding father of gambling. The ace producer's last project was Raveena Tandon-led Aranyak.
Why does the story matter?
Aranyak, streaming on Netflix, was well-received for its gripping story and powerful performances. It is among the Top 10 global TV shows on the OTT giant. Meanwhile, Manjule's 2016 blockbuster, Sairat, was made with just Rs. 4cr but ended up entering the coveted Rs. 100cr club. This collaboration anyway makes the upcoming series interesting but its focus on gambling is making us curious.
This is the story of 'Matka King'
Matka King will span across 30 years. The summary of the series reads, "It captures the culture of Mumbai's teeming working classes of the '60s and '70s, charts the progress of the nation through their lives, and the betting syndicate operated by Khatri." Given Roy Kapur and Manjule's knack for authentic filmmaking, we can expect to revisit the old city through the series.
'I am thrilled to be collaborating with Manjule'
While talking of their teaming up, Kapur expressed how big a fan he is of Manjule and Sairat. "Nagraj Manjule's Sairat is one of my favorite movies of the last decade and I am thrilled to be collaborating with him to tell this fascinating story that we hope will resonate with viewers across India and the world!" he told PTI during an interaction.
Manjule says series will narrate 'very unique and captivating story'
Meanwhile, Manjule said, "I am looking forward to this new opportunity of being able to tell a very unique and captivating story on OTT and partnering with Sid Roy Kapur who shares a common creative vision." The filmmaker is right now waiting for his directorial Jhund, a sports drama being led by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, to get released. This movie marks his Bollywood debut.
