Matka King Returns: A Look at the New Season of the Crime Drama Set in 1960s India on Prime Video
EXCLUSIVE: Following a successful debut last month, where it reached the top position in 17 territories, Prime Video India has officially announced a second season of its gambling crime drama Matka King.
The series, starring Vijay Varma, has been renewed after becoming the streaming service’s most-watched new Indian scripted show in the past two years.
Set against the transformative backdrop of 1960s Bombay (now Mumbai), the plot follows Brij Bhatti, played by Varma, a humble cotton trader who rises to prominence as an illegal gambling kingpin. After launching a popular ‘Matka’ game, he navigates a world that was once exclusive to the wealthy, while his morals begin to shift under the weight of power, money, and ambition.
Details about the plot for the upcoming season remain under wraps, but Prime Video hinted in a statement, “The game of Matka is far from over, and neither is Brij Bhatti’s reign. Matka King Season 2 is where the real stake begins.”
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In its first season, the show trended in the Prime Video Top 10 across 37 countries and secured the top spot in 17 countries during its opening week. The series was globally launched on April 17.
Matka King was created and written by Abhay Koranne and Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, the latter of whom also serves as director. The first season was produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Manjule, Gargi Kulkarni, Ashwini Sidwani, and Ashish Aryan under the banners of Roy Kapur Films, Aatpat, and SMR Entertainment.
The eight-episode series featured a strong ensemble cast, including Varma, Kritika Kamra, Sai Tamhankar, Siddharth Jadhav, Bhupendra Jadawat, and Gulshan Grover. The cast also included Bharat Jadhav, Girish Kulkarni, Jamie Lever, Kishor Kadam, Cyrus Sahukar, Arpita Sethiya, Sambhaji Tangade, Ishtiyak Khan, Sanjivv Jotangia, and Simran Ashwini.
Prime Video has emerged as a significant driver of Amazon’s subscriber growth in India, with senior executives noting the country as a key contributor to new sign-ups. While specific subscriber numbers remain undisclosed, estimates suggest more than 20 million paying customers. This positions Prime Video as a notable competitor to Indian market leader JioHotstar. Earlier this year, Prime Video revealed a 69-title originals slate that included the announcement of Matka King.
In related developments, Prime Video recently announced a global release date of May 22 for the Indian courtroom thriller System. This news comes on the heels of the announcement that Prime Video is merging with its sibling, Amazon MX Player, to create a formidable presence in the Indian streaming market.
