Urmila Matondkar (born 4 February 1974) is an Indian politician and actress. She is best known for her work in Hindi films, but she has also worked in Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, and Tamil films. She has garnered various awards, including the Filmfare Award and the Nandi Award. She has developed a distinct on-screen identity and is noted for her fashion statements and dancing abilities.
Matondkar rose to prominence after making her debut as a youngster in the 1977 film Karm with Masoom (1983), after which she acted in a few additional films. Her first lead part was in the Malayalam film Chanakyan (1989), and her second lead role was in Narsimha (1991), both of which were commercial triumphs.
Matondkar established herself as a main actress with the romance Rangeela (1995), the drama Judaai (1997), the crime film Satya (1998), the romantic comedy Khoobsurat (1999), and the thriller Jungle (2000), following a brief setback. In Telugu and Tamil film, she had starring parts in Antham (1992), Gaayam (1993), Indian (1996), and Anaganaga Oka Roju (1997). Matondkar received critical acclaim for his roles in a number of psychological thrillers and horror films, including a serial killer in Kaun (1999), an obsessive lover in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), a possessed woman in Bhoot (2003), and a violent avenger in Ek Hasina Thi (2004). During this time, she worked with indie directors on art-house films like as Tehzeeb (2003), Pinjar (2003), Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005), Bas Ek Pal (2006), and Ajoba (2014).
Matondkar, in addition to performing in films, is involved with various humanitarian initiatives and is vocal about issues affecting women and children. She has performed in concert tours and theatrical presentations, as well as served as a talent judge on dance reality shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2007) and DID Super Moms (2022).
Personal and early life
Matondkar was born on February 4, 1974, in present-day Mumbai, to Shrikant and Sunita Matondkar, both Hindu Maharashtrians. She attended DG Ruparel College in Mumbai. On March 3, 2016, she married Kashmiri businessman and model Mohsin Akhtar Mir.
Career as an actor
From 1977 to 1988, he worked as a kid artist.
Matondkar made her feature film debut as a child actor in B.R. Karm by Deepak Chopra (1977). She later appeared in Shreeram Lagoo's Marathi film Zaakol (1980), Shyam Benegal's crime picture Kalyug (1980), Shekhar Kapur's drama Masoom (1983), Praveen Bhatt's Bhavna (1984), and K. As a kid star, he appeared in Viswanath's Sur Sangam (1985), Rahul Rawail's Dacait (1987), and Kalpataru's Bade Ghar Ki Beti (1989).
Adult debut and early career (1989-1993)
She made her debut with T in 1989. Chanakyan, a Malayalam hit starring K. Rajeev Kumar and Kamal Haasan. N was her Bollywood debut. Narsimha, a 1991 action drama directed by Chandra. The picture was a commercial success upon its initial release. Matondkar portrayed Meenu S. Singh, the rebellious daughter of Baapji (Om Puri), a goon master and city capitalist. She then co-starred with Shah Rukh Khan in Rajiv Mehra's ghost comedy Chamatkar (1992). Her debut Telugu film, Antham, and its Hindi multilingual Drohi, both starred Nagarjuna. She portrayed Bhavna, an ornithologist who falls for Nagarjuna's character. The film earned positive reviews from critics at its initial release. The film was her debut collaboration with filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma. In 1993, Matondkar starred in Shreemaan Aashique alongside Rishi Kapoor and Bedardi alongside Ajay Devgn, both of which were critical and commercial flops. Varma's next film was the Telugu political thriller Gaayam (1993). The film received great reviews and six state Nandi Awards before becoming a box office smash. Matondkar won a Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.
Popularity and popular recognition (1994-1998)
She rose to prominence in the 1994 popular love drama Aa Gale Lag Ja, in which she co-starred with Jugal Hansraj.
Matondkar established herself as a significant actress of contemporary Hindi film in 1995, when she appeared in Varma's musical romance Rangeela, one of the year's highest-grossing projects. The film, which starred Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff, was a box office success, grossing $334 million. Mili Joshi, an exuberant fun-loving buddy of a street-toughened orphan with dreams of becoming an actress, was played by Matondkar. Rangeela was nominated for 12 prizes at the 41st Filmfare prizes, including Matondkar's first Best Actress nomination. The film was shown at the India International Film Festival. In the same year, she co-starred in the Malayalam film Thacholi Varghese Chekavar with Mohanlal. She portrayed Maya, the sole survivor of a homicide who is placed under home arrest by her parents.
Sapna, the daughter of an RTO official, was her character in S in 1996. Her debut Tamil film was Shankar's Indian (1996). It was also remade and released in Hindi as Hindustani. With a budget of $150 million, it was the most expensive Indian film at the time, starring Kamal Haasan in multiple roles with Matondkar and Manisha Koirala. "Indian has dances, foot-tapping melodies by A. R. Rahman, and two pretty women, Manisha Koirala and Urmila Matondkar," wrote Nirupama Subramanian of India Today of the film. Commercially, both Indian and Hindustani were successful. In 1996, the film was India's official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, although it was not nominated.
Raj Kanwar's melodrama Judaai was Matondkar's debut release in 1997. It is a remake of the 1994 Telugu film Shubhalagnam and depicts the story of Kajal (played by Sridevi), who is enticed by riches and begs her husband, Raj (played by Anil Kapoor), an honest engineer, to marry Janhvi (played by Matondkar), his boss's rich daughter. According to the Indian Express, "Urmila Matondkar comes out with flying colors." The film was a commercial success, and her performance earned her a nomination for a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Her subsequent films included the criminal comedy Daud, in which she co-starred with Sanjay Dutt, the romantic drama Mere Sapno Ki Rani, in which she co-starred with Sanjay Kapoor, and the action romance Aflatoon, in which she co-starred with Akshay Kumar. All of these films performed poorly at the box office. She then reconnected with Varma for her third Telugu release, the road movie Anaganaga Oka Roju, in which she co-starred with J. Chakravarthy, D. The film follows the comedic adventures of an eloping couple on the run from their parents who become enmeshed as murder suspects in a police and political mafia road hunt for an incriminating audio tape. The film earned favorable reviews and became a box office success.
Her next film was Satya, for which she received a Filmfare Best Actress nomination. The film was well welcomed by reviewers and a major success at the box office, cementing Matondkar's place as a leading lady of Bollywood. Satya was named to CNN-IBN's list of the 100 best Indian films of all time in 2013, as well as to the 100 Filmfare Days series and the "70 iconic movies of independent India" list. It was mentioned in Rachel Dwyer's 100 Bollywood Films (where she labeled it a "masterpiece") and Shubhra Gupta's 50 Bollywood Films That Changed Bollywood, 1995-2015.
Professional growth and achievement (1999-2003)
Matondkar had six films released in 1999, four of them were commercial flops: Jaanam Samjha Karo, Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain, Mast, and Dillagi. However, critics usually praised Matondkar's performances (in a review for Jaanam Samjha Karo, Rediff stated, "Urmila is just about the only heroine who can give Karisma a run for her money when it comes to pelvic thrusts"). Her first breakthrough that year was Varma's psychological horror movie Kaun, in which she portrayed an unnamed character alongside Manoj Bajpayee. "She rivets the viewer's interest, carrying off entire reels on her shoulders, through a gamut of quicksilver facial expressions. Vulnerable and baffled, she is utterly believable as the traumatised girl-next-door," Khalid Mohamed of The Times of India stated. In the action comedy Khoobsurat, Matondkar played the love interest of Sanjay Dutt's character. It became a box office success.
Matondkar's roles in the 2000s exhibited strong, dramatic, and psychological elements, and she provided a series of critically lauded performances. Matondkar reunited with Varma in the action film Jungle in 2000, featuring Fardeen Khan and Sunil Shetty. When the chief of bandits begins to like her, she plays Anu, who is held hostage by him. According to Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama, "Urmila Matondkar is at ease in a role that gives her ample scope to showcase her talent; her scenes with Durga can easily be singled out, for they have been shot with brilliance." She then co-starred in David Dhawan's romantic comedy Kunwara with Govinda. The film performed poorly at the box office, grossing 182 million (US$2.3 million).
The next year, Matondkar played Ria, an infatuated lover, in Rajat Mukherjee's romantic thriller Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, which was critically acclaimed. Her performance was widely praised, with several commentators praising her for displaying a wide emotional range and depth. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama, in a positive review wrote, "the 'actual hero' of the film is definitely Urmila Matondkar, who will walk away with all laurels at the end of the day. Her career-best performance, she oozes intensity, love, hate, relentlessness and obsessive behaviour with perfection. And despite the fact that her character gets nuttier as the movie tags along, it is to Urmila's credit that we are able to feel for her pathetic persona." Planetbollywood.com described Matondkar as: "The star of the show is Urmila who is simply mind blowing in this film. The film is sure to get her nominated for best actress or even in some cases best villain. Not only does she look amazing, but she acts so well it will leave you speechless. If you hate everything else in the film, her performance will surely win you over! Her last two scenes in the film are simply breath taking. Ladies and gentlemen stand up and applaud this fantastic performance!" The film emerged successful at the box office with gross earnings of ₹281 million (US$3.5 million). Matondkar was nominated for several Best Villain awards for her portrayal, including a Filmfare Award for Best portrayal in a Negative Role.
Matondkar featured in the drama Om Jai Jagadish in 2002, among an ensemble cast that included Waheeda Rehman, Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Mahima Chaudhary, Abhishek Bachchan, and Tara Sharma. She plays the part of Neetu, the protagonist's (Fardeen Khan's) love interest. The picture was a commercial flop. Deewangee, Anees Bazmee's next film, was a psychological thriller. She portrayed Sargam, a popular singer who is at odds with the protagonist and antagonist. The film, which starred Ajay Devgan and Akshaye Khanna, was favorably received by reviewers and was fairly successful at the box office. Deepa Gumaste, writing for Rediff, praised the three leads, saying, "As usual, the heroine has little to do apart from looking cute in the first half and scared in the second; it's another matter that she is supposed to be the object of the film's conflict; for what it's worth, Urmila Matondkar executes her part well."
Bhoot, a supernatural horror film, was her maiden release in 2003. Swati, a ghost-possessed woman, was played by her. "...the film clearly belongs to Urmila Matondkar all the way. To state that she is excellent would be doing gross injustice to her work. Sequences when she is possessed are simply astounding. If this performance doesn't deserve an award, no other performance should. It beats all competition hollow," Taran Adarsh wrote. "Matondkar is consistently excellent - controlled and persuasively vulnerable - as the beleaguered wife, evoking your concern and empathy," Khalid Mohamed remarked, "she's the major triumph of Bhoot actually." She won her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics' Choice), as well as other Best Actress honors at various award ceremonies such as the Star Screen honors, Zee Cine Awards, and Bollywood Movie Awards. She received another Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress, as well as the national honor Rajiv Gandhi Award for her work in the film, recognizing her efforts in Bollywood. With gross earnings of 224 million (US$2.8 million), the picture was a box office triumph.
In Khalid Mohammed's criminal drama Tehzeeb (2003), she received critical acclaim for her depiction of the title character, a girl with a troubled connection with her mother. Rediff praised her performance, saying, "Urmila as the emotionally scarred Tehzeeb, who is uncomfortable expressing her feelings even to her husband, has done a commendable job. The only person she expresses her love to is her mentally challenged sister." She then played Puro, a North Indian girl who leads a happy life, but her dreams of a happy future are shattered when, one evening, she is kidnapped by Bajpayee's character "A handsomely shot drama centered on a Hindu woman's travails during the 1947 Partition, "Pinjar" ranks as one of the better Bollywood treatments of this still hot-button issue, with good performances, especially by lead actress Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpai as her Muslim partner, compensating for a slightly wobbly structure," wrote Derek Elley of Variety.
Critical acclaim and workload reduction (2004-present)
Matondkar appeared in the 2004 thriller Ek Hasina Thi. The film (Sriram Raghavan's directorial debut) follows the narrative of Sarika Vartak, a duped lady, played by Matondkar, who is detained and convicted for having links with the mafia due of her lover, played by Khan, and subsequently flees prison to exact revenge on him. The film was well received by critics at its initial release, with Matondkar's acting receiving accolades. The Deccan Herald said, "An author-backed role ensures that Urmila gets to do everything just right. Whether it's kicking a bully into shape in the dreary prison of which she's an inmate or making nice with Karan while plotting his ruin, she's a total treat. She carries off the transition from naive to knowing effortlessly. Seductive and steely, she's quite explosive." Matondkar garnered nominations for her performance in the Filmfare, Screen, Zee Cine, and IIFA awards ceremonies. The film received its world premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival.
She starred in the horror film Naina in 2005. The film portrays the narrative of Matondkar's character, who discovers she can look into the supernatural world after undergoing an eye transplant. At the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, the film premiered in the Marché du Film section. In Jahnu Barua's art drama Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, she plays Trisha Chaudhary, the compassionate daughter of Professor Uttam Chaudhary, played by Anupam Kher. Critics praised the film, with Rediff writing, "Her credibility as a versatile actress is further established in her reserved albeit realistic delivery of emotions." Matondkar received her second Bollywood Movie Award for Best Actress. She co-starred alongside Ashmit Patel and Dimple Kapadia in Pankaj Parashar's romance Banaras: A Mystic Love Story in 2006. "And then there's Urmila. Let's start with the good. She looks great, refreshingly beautiful and striking. That's about it. This is an actress who has worked hard to earn respectability, but this role, like the film itself, suffers from inconsistency," said Raja Sen. Onir's Bas Ek Pal (2006) was her next release.
Her next film was the thriller Karzzzz (2008), a remake of Karz (1980), in which she co-starred with Himesh Reshammiya. The film was a critical and commercial flop, but Matondkar was hailed for her portrayal of Kamini and for bringing her own flavor to the role. The next year, she re-teamed with Sanjay Dutt for EMI. She performed the voice of Begum in the computer-animated comedy Delhi Safari in 2012.
Matondkar made her Marathi film debut in 2014 with Ajoba. Purva Rao, a wildlife activist on the hunt for leopards, was played by her. According to Daily News and Analysis, "..this one's another jewel in her crown. She portrays Purva with a mild aggressive and rebellious streak, but all of these are an undercurrent to Purva's actions." Matondkar made a special appearance in a song of the dark comedy Blackmail (2018) after a four-year hiatus.
Work done away from the camera
In addition to her acting career, Matondkar has appeared in a number of stage productions and televised award ceremonies. She contributed her voice to Asha Bhonsle's album Asha and Friends Vol 1 in 2007, when she performed a duet song "Mehbooba Dilruba" with Bhonsle. Later that year, she co-hosted the second season of Sony Entertainment's dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa with Jeetendra and Shiamak Davar as a talent judge. She described her experience judging Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa as follows: "I'm ecstatic about being able to be a part of this show. I was facing the participants and audience for the first time. There were no written lines, no cues, no second chances. It either worked or it didn't work for you. It was a concept that I liked."
Matondkar hosted Sony TV's singing reality show Waar Parriwar in 2008. She co-judged Colors' dance reality show Chak Dhoom Dhoom with Javed Jaffrey and Terence Lewis in 2011, and in 2012, she was a member of the jury for Zee Marathi's Dance Maharashtra Dance, in which Maharashtra dancers exhibited their dancing prowess through various dance forms.
Matondkar has been involved with a variety of charity organizations during her career, with a focus on women's issues in India. Matondkar and Parineeti Chopra walked for Manish Malhotra in London, England, in February 2013, to benefit the Angeli Foundation, a charity that strives to empower girls in India. She has walked the runway for Manish Malhotra and Rohit Verma, among others.
Political vocation
On March 27, 2019, Matondkar joined the Indian National Congress. She ran unsuccessfully in the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Mumbai North. She resigned from the party on September 10, 2019, claiming petty internal politics. She joined the Shiv Sena on December 1, 2020, in the presence of party head Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena sought to add a nationally known face and voice, fluent in Marathi, Hindi, and English, to represent the party.
Artistry and public perception
Critics have lauded Matondkar's dance abilities and classified her as one of the most skilled actors. Subhash K. Jha, a film critic, commended her work in 2016.
Sukanya Verma, a film critic, described Matondkar as "a thinking actress who performs spontaneously." She added, "..it is her charismatic image that stays with the audience. She is an actress with a lot of style and a fair amount of substance." Director Ram Gopal Varma said of her, "I was mesmerised by Urmila's beauty -- from her face to her figure... everything about her was just divine...
I've always attempted to make my life more fascinating by taking on jobs that bridge the gap between popular and eccentric cinema. I guess my roles have been adventurous and fortunate for me. I want to be able to play any character with a certain amount of panache. I want to be a good mix of style and substance.
Matondkar made Rediff's annual Top Bollywood actresses list in 2003, following the success of Bhoot, Pinjar, and Tehzeeb. Matondkar was regarded as "a force to be reckoned with in the industry" by Planetbollywood.com.
| Bio | |
| Profession(s) | Actress, Model, Politician |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height | in centimeters- 161 cm in meters- 1.61 m in Feet Inches- 5' 3½" |
| Weight (approx.) | in Kilograms- 50 Kg in Pounds- 110 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 32-24-32 |
| Eye Colour | Greyish |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
| Politics | |
| Political Party | • Indian National Congress (INC) (27 March 2019 - 10 September 2019) • Shiv Sena (1 December 2020-present) |
| Acting Career | |
| Debut Film | As a child actress: Kalyug (1980) As an adult actress: Narasimha (1991) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 4 February 1974 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 49 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| School | Not Known |
| College | Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate (B.A. in Philosophy) |
| Family | Father- Shivinder Singh (a lecturer) Mother- Rukshana Sultana (homemaker) Sisters- Mamta Matondkar (elder, actress), Pooja Matondkar (younger) Brother- Kedar Matondkar (elder; worked in the Indian Air Force as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician) |
| Best Friends | Manish Malhotra (Fashion Designer), Paulomi Sanghvi (Jewellery Designer) |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Address | 93/14, Lokhandwala Road Andheri West, Mumbai |
| Tattoo | A airy on her right shoulder |
| Hobbies | Studying, Acting |
| Controversies | N/A |
| Favourite Things | |
| Food | Italian & Chinese Cuisines |
| Actor | Aamir Khan |
| Actress | Rani Mukerji |
| Singer(s) | Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle |
| Travel Destination(s) | London & Kashmir |
| Boys, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Mohsin Akhtar Mir |
| Marriage Date | 3 March 2016 |
| Children | None |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | ₹1-2 Crores/film |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $20 million |
,-Biography,-Wiki,-Age,-Boyfriend-&-More-134.jpg "Surabhi-Samriddhi Mehra (Chinky Minky), Biography, Wiki, Age, Boyfriend & More")
