There’s no denying the fact that Urmila Matondkar is one of the most popular actors in the film industry. The style icon enjoyed a strong fan following due to her versatility as a performer, glamourous reel image and impressive screen presence. She worked with quite a few highly celebrated filmmakers—right from Shankar to Ram Gopal Varma—proving her mettle.
While fans are aware of her contribution to the Hindi film industry, not many know that she played her first adult role in the 1989 Malayalam movie Chanakyan. The film, directed by TK Rajeev Kumar, was a thriller that revolved around the journey of a ‘high-tech’ person named Johnson. It featured Kamal Haasan in the lead and proved to be a treat for the star’s fans. The commercially-successful movie had an impressive supporting cast that included Jayaram, Madhu and Thilakan.
Urmila later returned to Mollywood with Thacholi Varghese Chekavar, which hit the screens in 1995. Interestingly, she reunited with Kamal for the Tamil movie Indian, a cult classic. The vigilante-thriller revolved around an aged freedom fighter’s war against the corrupt. It was partially reshot in Hindi as Hindustani. The cast of Indian included Manisha Koirala, Aruna Irani (Hindi version only) and Manorama.
Coming to the present, Urmila has entered politics, taking a break from films. The Rangeela star, who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election 2019 on a Congress ticket, is currently a member of the Shiv Sena.
Kamal too has entered politics and is hoping to make an impact in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He will next be seen in Indian 2, a sequel to the previously-mentioned Indian. The Shankar-helmed biggie features Kajal Aggarwal as the leading lady and marks her first collaboration with the Hey Ram star.
Kamal also has the Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed movie Vikram in his kitty. The film features him in a new avatar and reportedly has a unique storyline.