Home / Arts and Entertainment / Court Refuses Stay on 'Matka King' Amidst Family Dispute
Court Refuses Stay on 'Matka King' Amidst Family Dispute
16 Apr
Summary
- Tanuja Bhagat filed a lawsuit against the makers of 'Matka King'.
- She claims the show is based on her grandfather, Mumbai's 'Matka King'.
- The Bombay High Court refused to halt the series' release.
The makers of the Amazon Prime Video series 'Matka King' are facing a legal challenge from Tanuja Bhagat, the granddaughter of the renowned 'Matka King,' Kalyanji Bhagat. The series, starring Vijay Varma, was slated for release. Tanuja Bhagat initiated legal proceedings, having first raised objections in 2023 and issued a cease-and-desist notice in April 2024.
She formally petitioned the Bombay High Court in 2025 seeking an injunction to halt production and block the show's release entirely, alleging it commercializes her grandfather's identity. The court heard the case on April 15, 2026, and refused to grant a stay on the web series' release. The matter has since been adjourned to April 20, 2026.
Tanuja Bhagat asserts that her grandfather, Kalyanji Gangadhar Bhagat, originated the Matka gambling game in Mumbai in the 1960s and was widely recognized as the 'Matka King.' She contends that the series is loosely based on Ratan Khatri, who she claims was her grandfather's manager, not the true Matka King, and that the show presents a false history of Mumbai's Worli Matka.
