Urmila Matondkar is best known for performances that span romance, thriller, horror and period drama, not for the “soft porn” label Kangana Ranaut used for her in 2020. Her best Urmila Matondkar movies include Rangeela, Satya, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Bhoot, Pinjar and Ek Hasina Thi, most of which stream in India today.
What happened in 2020
In September 2020, during a television interview, Kangana Ranaut called Urmila a “soft porn star” and questioned her acting. The comment came after a public exchange between the two over Kangana’s statements about Mumbai and the film industry. Several film personalities and many social media users backed Urmila, and the remark was widely criticised, as reported by Business Today and Gulf News.
Kangana later defended the term. Since then both women have moved deeper into politics. Kangana became the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Mandi in 2024. Urmila contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Mumbai North on a Congress ticket and lost, left the party later that year and joined the Shiv Sena in December 2020.
Politics aside, Urmila’s film record speaks for itself. She started as a child artist in Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom (1983) and became one of the defining heroines of the 1990s and early 2000s. Here are the roles that show her range.
1. Mili in Rangeela (1995)
Ram Gopal Varma’s Rangeela made Urmila a star. She plays Mili Joshi, a junior dancer in Mumbai who dreams of becoming a film heroine, caught between her loud, loyal friend Munna (Aamir Khan) and superstar Raj Kamal (Jackie Shroff).
The role mixed innocence with confidence, and A.R. Rahman’s songs, especially “Rangeela Re” and “Tanha Tanha”, made her image iconic. A remastered 4K version returned to select theatres on 28 November 2025, as per Bollywood Hungama. It streams on Amazon Prime Video in India.
2. Vidya in Satya (1998)
In Ram Gopal Varma’s gangster drama, Urmila plays Vidya, an aspiring singer who falls for Satya (J.D. Chakravarthy) without knowing about his life in the Mumbai underworld. It is a restrained, quiet role in a film dominated by violent men.
Satya is now counted among the most influential Hindi crime films. As of October 2026 it is listed on VI Movies and TV in India.
3. Riya in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001)
Urmila took a risk with this negative role in a film produced by Ram Gopal Varma and directed by Rajat Mukherjee. She plays Riya, a woman whose obsession with a married photographer (Fardeen Khan) turns dangerous.
Many fans still call this one of her best performances, for the way she switches between charm and menace. It streams on JioHotstar.
4. Swati in Bhoot (2003)
In Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot, Urmila plays Swati, a young wife who moves into a Mumbai apartment with her husband (Ajay Devgn) and begins to show signs of possession. The film had no songs and relied on sound and silence for its scares.
Her performance carried the film and was widely praised by critics at the time. Bhoot streams on Amazon Prime Video and JioHotstar, among other services.
5. Puro in Pinjar (2003)
Pinjar, directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, is based on Amrita Pritam’s Punjabi novel. Urmila plays Puro, a Hindu girl abducted before her wedding by Rashid (Manoj Bajpayee) against the backdrop of Partition.
It is her most serious performance, built on silence and pain rather than glamour. Pinjar won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. It streams on Amazon Prime Video.
6. Sarika in Ek Hasina Thi (2004)
Sriram Raghavan’s debut feature casts Urmila as Sarika, a quiet travel agent who is framed by her charming boyfriend Karan (Saif Ali Khan) and sent to jail. Inside, she hardens and plans her revenge.
The film is now seen as an early example of the sharp, stylish thrillers Raghavan went on to make with Johnny Gaddaar, Badlapur and Andhadhun. Ek Hasina Thi streams on Amazon Prime Video and is listed free with ads on JioHotstar.
Other Urmila Matondkar films worth a look
- Judaai (1997): a family drama with Anil Kapoor and Sridevi.
- Kaun (1999): Ram Gopal Varma’s three-character thriller, written by Anurag Kashyap.
- Jungle (2000): a survival thriller set in a forest held by poachers.
- Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005): she plays the daughter of a man with dementia, opposite Anupam Kher.
What is Urmila doing now
Urmila has worked only occasionally in films over the last decade. In 2022 she announced a thriller series, Tiwari, as her digital debut. In September 2026, What’s on Netflix reported that she will lead a TVF-produced Netflix India series set around the IITs, with a premiere targeted for 2027. Neither Netflix nor TVF had confirmed details at the time.
The Rangeela re-release in 2025 also brought her work back into conversation with a younger audience. For more on actors and their careers, see our celebs and Bollywood sections.
Frequently asked questions
What did Kangana Ranaut say about Urmila Matondkar?
In a September 2020 TV interview, Kangana called Urmila a “soft porn star”. The remark drew wide criticism from film personalities and social media users.
Which are the best Urmila Matondkar movies?
Rangeela, Satya, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Bhoot, Pinjar and Ek Hasina Thi are her most praised films.
Where can I watch Rangeela online?
As of October 2026, Rangeela (1995) streams on Amazon Prime Video in India.
Is Urmila Matondkar in politics?
Yes. She contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election for the Congress, left the party later that year and joined the Shiv Sena in December 2020.
Sources: Business Today, Bollywood Hungama on the Rangeela re-release, What’s on Netflix.
