Urmila Matondkar – the major contributor in Ram Gopal Verma’s films.
Urmila Matondkar had acted in experimental roles for the last 15 years. But the viewers remember her more in scary characters created by Ram Gopal Verma. She acted as a child artist in Masoom, in 1983. She showed her innocence in the character as she was the daughter of Shabana Azmi who liked to play with her step-brother played by Jugal Hansraj. She gave good lips in the song “lakri ke kathi” composed by RD Burman.
She stormed bollywood films with her performance in Ram Gopal Verma’s Daud, opposite Sanjay Dutt. It was serio-comic film which was based on a stolen property. Both Sanjay and Urmila travelled in different places and were chased by thiefs for the stolen property. The story was straight forward, but the performance of Urmila was well appreciated by the audience. She proved her identity also in the film Rangeela with Jackie Shroff.
She previously acted in romantic role in the film Narsimha, where the main role was played by Sunny Deol. Om Puri played the negative character in the film who was killed by Sunny at the end of the film, after he freed himself from the bondage of Om Puri.
Urmila had also acted as a girl in a Ram Gopal Verma film titled Bhoot, who did exceptional activities due to involvement with a dead soul. She was treated in the film and it was realised that the ghost wanted to let the people know about the way it was killed in the previous life. Ram Gopal Verma’s film Darna Mana Hai, and Darna Zaroori Hai, are based on supernatural subjects which many people don’t believe. Only the good aspect of these films is that he had good story-telling and camera work which created interest in the minds of the viewers.
Urmila also acted in Judaai, opposite Anil Kapoor and Sri Devi. Urmila had also performed in item numbers including the song in the film China Gate. The film involved the story of retired military officers assembling in a village to kill a notorious group of dacoits who disturbed the law and order of the respective area. Urmila’s performance was appreciated in addition to serious performances from Om Puri, Naseer, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal, etc. Her notable films include Maine Gandhi ko nahi mara, Ek Haseena thi, Jungle, Satya, etc. The viewers expect Urmila to continue her good work in films which are going to made in future.
By: Rumi Chatterji.
