The series, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video, draws heavily from real events, portraying the rise of a common man into a powerful betting kingpin through the character Brij Bhatti.

Who Was Ratan Khatri? The Man Behind Vijay Varma's Brij Bhatti Character

Ratan Khatri was a Mumbai-based gambling kingpin, widely regarded as the face of India's matka betting industry. Born in Karachi before India's Partition, he migrated to Mumbai in 1947 and began working in the city's textile and trading hubs.

It was here that he encountered early forms of betting linked to cotton price fluctuations-a system that would later evolve into matka gambling. Over time, Khatri transformed this informal practice into a structured, large-scale underground network that would dominate India's betting landscape for decades.

What Is Matka Gambling and How Did It Work?

Matka is a form of illegal lottery-style betting where players wager money on numbers. Originally, bets were based on opening and closing rates of cotton traded on the New York market. When that system became unreliable, Khatri introduced a new method-drawing numbers using cards or slips from a pot ("matka").

The system involved:

-"Open" and "close" numbers drawn at fixed times

-Nationwide communication of results

-Small bets yielding large returns.

Under Khatri's control, this evolved into a massive network involving lakhs of bettors and crores of rupees daily, making matka one of India's biggest underground gambling industries.

Vijay Varma: The On-Screen Face of Ratan Khatri's Gambling Legacy

By the 1960s and 70s, Khatri had turned matka into a nationwide syndicate. What set him apart was his reputation for transparency-numbers were often drawn publicly, building trust among bettors.

His influence extended beyond Mumbai, with betting networks spreading across India and even reaching international players. At its peak:

-Daily bets ran into lakhs of rupees

-The network operated across multiple cities

-Khatri became synonymous with matka itself

This dominance earned him the title "Matka King," a name that still defines his legacy.

Rise, Crackdown and Retirement

Khatri's empire wasn't without consequences. During the The Emergency in India, he was jailed as part of a wider crackdown on illegal activities.

By the 1990s, increasing police action, mafia involvement, and internal conflicts began weakening the matka network. Khatri eventually stepped away from the business and retired from active operations.

He passed away in 2020, but his name continues to dominate discussions around India's gambling history.

How 'Matka King' Series Connects to Real Events

The series Matka King fictionalises Khatri's journey through the character Brij Bhatti, played by Vijay Varma.

While the show does not claim to be a direct biopic, it mirrors several real-life elements:

-A humble man rising to power in Mumbai's underworld

-The rapid expansion of matka betting

-The mix of ambition, risk, and eventual downfall

The narrative captures the era when fortunes were made overnight through numbers-and lost just as quickly.

Matka King OTT Release Date

Matka King is set to release today on April 17, 2026, on the OTT platform.
Where can you watch Matka King on an OTT platform?

Where can you watch Matka King on an OTT platform?

You can watch Matka King on the OTT platform, Amazon Prime Video.

Why Ratan Khatri's Story Still Fascinates India

Even decades later, Khatri's life remains a compelling mix of ambition, crime, and cultural impact. He didn't just run a gambling business-he built an entire ecosystem that became deeply embedded in Mumbai's social fabric.

From street-level bettors to high-stakes players, matka created a parallel economy-one that continues to inspire films, books, and now OTT series.

With Matka King, audiences are once again drawn into that shadowy world-where luck, power, and risk defined an era, and one man ruled them all.

FAQs: Matka King

1. Who was Ratan Khatri?

Ratan Khatri was a Mumbai-based bookmaker who became the face of India's matka gambling industry. He transformed a small betting practice into a nationwide underground network, earning the title "Matka King."

2. What is matka gambling?

Matka is an illegal lottery-style betting system where players wager on numbers. Originally linked to cotton price betting, it later evolved into a random number-draw system using slips or cards.

3. Is Matka King based on a true story?

The series is inspired by real events and loosely based on the life of Ratan Khatri, though it fictionalises characters and incidents for dramatic storytelling.

4. Who plays the lead role in Matka King?

Vijay Varma plays the lead character Brij Bhatti, a fictionalised version inspired by Ratan Khatri.

5. Why is Ratan Khatri still relevant today?

His story continues to fascinate audiences due to its mix of crime, ambition, and the rise of an underground empire that influenced popular culture and media.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and reports about historical events and the Matka King series. This content is for informational purposes only. We do not promote gambling in any form, and matka is illegal in many regions.