From a child actor to a leading lady, Urmila Matondkar has come a long way in the Indian film industry. Her captivating performances and undeniable talent have earned her a special place in the hearts of audiences across the globe. In this blog post, we will take you on an exciting journey through Urmila’s illustrious career as a movie actress, exploring how she rose to fame and became one of Bollywood’s most celebrated stars. So sit back, relax, and let’s delve into the world of cinema with one of its brightest gems!
Urmila Matondkar’s Early Years
Urmila Matondkar was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, on October 21, 1965. She started her acting career at the age of nine, when she played a small role in the film Aap Ki Kasam. Over the next few years, she appeared in several television and film roles. In 1991, she made her big-screen debut in Waqt (1993), for which she received rave reviews. Her subsequent films include Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Maine Pyar Kiya (1997), Lagaan (2001), and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012).
Matondkar has won several awards during her successful career as an actress. These include two National Film Awards for Best Actress – for Waqt (1993) and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) – and six Filmfare Awards – including four Best Actress Awards – among others. She has also been nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012).
Matondkar iscurrently a goodwill ambassador for UNESCO’s International Year of Creativity for Everyone initiative.
Her Career as a Movie Actress
Urmila Matondkar is an accomplished actress who has starred in a number of successful Hollywood movies. Her career as a movie actress began in the early 1990s, and she has since appeared in a number of critically acclaimed films.
Matondkar was born in Mumbai, India, on October 5, 1965. She studied at the National School of Drama in New Delhi before embarking on her theatrical career. She made her debut with a minor role in the 1988 Hindi film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Matondkar’s big break came when she was cast in the lead role of Asha in the English-language remake of the 1992 Hindi film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and resulted in Matondkar becoming one of the most popular actresses in India.
In 1995, Matondkar co-starred with Richard Gere and Kate Winslet in Ang Lee’s Academy Award winning drama The Piano. The following year, she starred opposite Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra in Yann Martel’s romantic comedy blockbuster Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Matondkar continued to star in successful Hollywood movies throughout the late 1990s and 2000s. Her most notable roles during this time include appearances alongside Johnny Depp and Jude Law in Pirates of Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), alongside Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in World War Z (2013), and alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge 2 (2014).
In recent years, Matondkar has focused on acting in Indianlanguage films. She starred in the acclaimed drama Raees (2017), and is set to appear in the sequel to Raees, titled Raees 2 (2018).
Her Successful Career to Date
Urmila Matondkar began her career as a model in the late 1990s. Her success as an actress began in 2006 with the role of Meena in the Hindi film, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. After appearing in several other films, she achieved international recognition for her performance as Dr. Shweta Shetty in the 2011 English-language film Slumdog Millionaire. Since then, she has appeared in several more films, including The Lunchbox (2013), Yudh (2015), and Padmaavat (2018). In November 2018, she was awarded India’s third highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan.
Her Future Plans
Urmila Matondkar is an Indian film actress who has worked in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. She is best known for her roles in the films Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Mohabbatein (2000), My Name Is Khan (2008), and Padmaavat (2018).
Matondkar was born to a Marathi family in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. She studied at St. Francis Xavier’s School, Kolhapur and then pursued an MBA from the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2003, she returned to India to pursue a career in acting.
Her first role was as a supporting character in the 1995 movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The following year, she played the lead role in Mohabbatein opposite Aamir Khan which became one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time. Her performance earned her critical acclaim and she won several awards including the Filmfare Best Actress Award and the National Film Award for Best Actress. She reprised her role in the 2008 sequel Mohabbatein – Reloaded which also became a blockbuster success. Her other notable films include My Name Is Khan (2008), Padmaavat (2017) and Andaaz Apna Apna (2018).
In addition to her acting career, Matondkar has also ventured into directing and writing roles for films such as the short film Adam (2018). She is also a member of the advisory board for the non-profit organization Swades Foundation.
Matondkar has been married to businessman Rajesh Khandwala since September 2018.