After 16 Years, Urmila to Debut on OTT Due to Career Break

Urmila Matondkar, the iconic Bollywood actress, has turned 50 today. Urmila gained fame in the 90s as one of the leading actresses of her time. She has appeared in many remarkable films like “Judaai,” “Rangeela,” “Satya,” “Bhoot,” and “Kaun.” Urmila was one of the highest-earning actresses of her time, often earning more than the male leads.

Turning Point in Urmila’s Life

There was a turning point in Urmila’s life when she faced a hiatus in the film industry. Slowly, her career began to decline. The main reason behind this downfall was Urmila’s stubbornness, which often proved to be a hindrance for her.

No Celebration of Birthdays in Childhood Due to Financial Constraints

Urmila was born on February 4, 1974, in Mumbai to Shrikant and Sunita Matondkar. She belongs to a middle-class family. Due to financial constraints, her birthdays were never celebrated extravagantly in childhood.

Urmila’s Early Career and Debut in Bollywood

Urmila completed her schooling in Mumbai and pursued further studies from D.G. Ruparel College. Urmila was inclined towards acting from a young age when she used to accompany her father to the theater.

Becoming an Actress at the Age of 17

After working as a child artist, Urmila got her first break as a lead actress in the Malayalam film “Chanakyan.” At that time, she was just 17 years old. She then made her entry into Bollywood with the film “Narasimha,” directed by N. Chandra, who was quite upset with Urmila later on.

Urmila’s Fear While Shooting with Shah Rukh Khan

Urmila played the female lead in Shah Rukh Khan’s film “Chamatkar.” During the shooting, she was very nervous as Shah Rukh had to kick her in a scene. She was so scared that she couldn’t perform well until Shah Rukh assured her that there was no problem and she could kick him.

Overnight Success with “Rangeela”

Urmila’s career took a massive leap with the 1995 film “Rangeela.” She played the role of Mili, an aspiring actress, opposite Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff. The film was a huge success, and Urmila became an overnight star. The film was directed by Ram Gopal Varma.

Awards and Accolades for “Rangeela”

“Rangeela” received 41 nominations at the 12th Filmfare Awards, and Urmila was nominated for Best Actress. The film won 7 Filmfare Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Jackie Shroff, Best Choreography for Ahmed Khan, Best Costume Design for Manish Malhotra, Best Story for Ram Gopal Varma, and Best Music for A.R. Rahman and R.D. Burman. Asha Bhosle also received a Special Jury Award for the song “Tanha Tanha.”

Urmila’s Profit From Juhi Rejected Film

The film “Judaai” was released on February 1, 1997. Urmila, Sridevi, and Anil Kapoor were in lead roles. The film was a hit, but Urmila wasn’t initially interested in her role. The role was first offered to Juhi Chawla and Karisma Kapoor, but both declined it.

According to media reports, both actresses didn’t want to play the second lead alongside Sridevi, so they turned down the role. Urmila later got the role, receiving much praise for it. She even received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare Awards.

Urmila Featured in 13 of Ram Gopal Varma’s Films

During the shooting of the film “Rangeela,” filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma fell in love with Urmila. He cast her in all his subsequent films. They worked together in 13 films, including Telugu films like “Antham,” “Drohi,” and “Gayam,” and Hindi films like “Rangeela,” “Daud,” “Satya,” “Kaun,” “Mast,” “Jungle,” “Bhoot,” and “Aag.”

Urmila was eager to work in Varma’s films but ended up putting a halt to her career due to a misunderstanding. Many directors were upset because Urmila kept rejecting their films. At one point, even Ramu stopped offering her films, leaving Urmila with no work.

Urmila Was Slapped by Ram Gopal Varma’s Wife

Urmila realized her mistake and started avoiding Ram Gopal Varma, but things took a turn for the worse. Her career was limited to small films, and it had a negative impact on her personal life. Despite Varma’s affection, Urmila severed all ties with him. Her affair with him ruined her married life too. Media reports suggest that once, Varma’s wife slapped Urmila on the film set, sparking a controversy that eventually led to Varma divorcing his wife.

Urmila Wanted to Work in Films

Urmila’s downfall became evident after the failure of films like “Bas Ek Pal” and “Karzzzz.” Despite appearing in some Marathi and regional films, she didn’t achieve much success. Later, she made her debut on television as a celebrity judge in the dance reality show “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa.” Apart from that, she also judged shows like “Waaris” and “Chak Dhoom Dhoom.”

In an interview, Urmila expressed her desire to work in films, saying, “Except for ‘Narasimha,’ I had a great debut and was appreciated for my acting and dancing skills, but I felt unsupported in the industry. I was just a non-filmi person. I had no knowledge of the rules here.”

She further added, “I didn’t know how to keep the media happy. There was a time when big things were being said. I was generally not well informed. Many humorous things were written about me. People made up stories whether they had any basis or not. Many people in the industry were involved in this besides the media.”

She also said, “When I was doing ‘Rangeela,’ I was rejected in a way that had never happened to anyone in the history of cinema.”

Marriage to a 9-Year Younger Businessman, Accusations of Religious Conversion

In 2016, Urmila shocked everyone by marrying businessman Mohsin Akhtar Mir, who was nine years younger than her. Mohsin is also a model and has appeared in films like “Lakshya.” Urmila is a Maharashtrian Hindu, while Mir is a Muslim, leading to rumors of her conversion to Islam after marriage.

Urmila clarified, saying, “My husband and his family have never pressured me to convert to their religion. We respect both our religions. I have always been a Hindu, and I have not changed my religion. It’s strange that people troll me for this.