Vijay Varma's Matka King: A New Contender in the Web Series Arena
Matka King Makes a Strong Debut
Vijay Varma has once again captivated viewers with his new series, Matka King. The show has recorded remarkable viewership figures during its first week, despite receiving a mix of reviews. This achievement is a notable milestone for the streaming service, as Matka King has carved out a solid position in the competitive web series market. It has outperformed all non-Netflix series launched in 2026, except for Chiraiyaa, which stars Divya Dutta.
During its premiere week, Matka King attracted an impressive 3.4 million viewers, ranking it second among the most-watched web series in India for the week of April 13 to 19, 2025, based on data from Ormax. The series narrowly missed the top position, currently occupied by Chiraiyaa, while pushing Nana Patekar’s Sankalp and Saqib Saleem’s Kaptaan to third place. These strong viewership figures suggest a favorable reception from audiences, and it will be interesting to see if the show continues to grow in popularity in the weeks ahead.
Created and directed by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Matka King features Vijay Varma in a captivating lead role as Brij Bhatti, the titular Matka King. The series' gritty narrative and engaging storytelling have struck a chord with viewers, contributing to its swift rise in popularity. Not only has it garnered attention from Indian audiences, but it has also trended in the Top 10 across several international markets, including Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
The viewership data reflects the latest official statistics from Ormax, which monitors the performance of web series across various platforms. These figures are significant as they represent the only weeks that these series have secured a position in the top five weekly charts, irrespective of their streaming duration. The success of Matka King underscores the increasing impact of OTT platforms in the entertainment sector and the changing preferences of viewers.
As the series continues to gain momentum, industry analysts are closely observing its performance in the upcoming weeks. The combination of a strong lead performance, compelling storytelling, and effective marketing strategies has positioned Matka King as a significant player in the ever-evolving digital content landscape. With its promising start, the series is poised to make a significant impact in the competitive realm of web entertainment.