“I Changed in Front of the Whole Unit”: Gulshan Grover Steals the Show at Matka King Trailer Launch

The star-studded trailer launch of the Amazon Original series Matka King in Mumbai was marked by high energy and candid revelations, particularly from veteran actor Gulshan Grover. Joining lead actors Vijay Varma, Kritika Kamra, and Sai Tamhankar, alongside director Nagraj Manjule and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, Grover shared humorous and insightful anecdotes about the making of the 1960s period drama.

Known for his “Bad Man” persona, Grover admitted that he usually follows his own instincts but met his match in director Nagraj Manjule. He recounted a hilarious wardrobe clash on set where he tried to elevate his character’s look for a scene in a government office.

“I convinced the costume person to give me a different set of clothes. I wore those… I looked like Al Pacino!” Grover laughed. However, the director wasn’t convinced. “Nagraj ji asked, ‘You want to wear these?’ I argued that I’m a big man, the asli Matka King. But I could sense he wasn’t happy. He told me he preferred the original outfit. I swear to God, I didn’t even leave the set—I changed my clothes right there in front of the whole unit out of respect for his creative vision.”

Grover revealed that the show’s title has already become a major talking point among industry heavyweights. He shared how a simple mention of the project sparked intense curiosity during private gatherings with legends like Shatrughan Sinha and Rakesh Roshan.

The actor also noted that his peers are closely following the project:

• Akshay Kumar: “He’s my brother and friend. When I told him about Matka King at a recent awards show, he was immediately curious. It led to a long conversation.”
• Shah Rukh Khan & Varun Dhawan: Grover mentioned similar intrigued reactions from both stars, noting that the title alone “takes you to a very fascinating world.”

The veteran actor also highlighted the immense respect the industry has for director Nagraj Manjule. He jokingly shared an instance where he accidentally mispronounced Manjule’s blockbuster film Sairat as Shararat, only to be immediately corrected by those around him. “This shows how well everyone knows his work,” Grover remarked, praising the collaboration between the director, the writers, and the production team at Roy Kapur Films and Amazon MGM Studios.

Matka King, which promises a gritty dive into the gambling underbelly of post-independence Bombay, is set to premiere on Prime Video on April 17.