MUMBAI: The 90s saw a new wave of Indian actresses emerge after the stars of the previous generation wade way for the younger generation. Names like Raveena Tandon, Juhi Chawla, Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, and Mamta Kulkarni staked their claims at the numero uno spot where their seniors like Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi sat. But by the mid-90s, one actress had leapfrogged them. Urmila Matondkar rode on the success of Rangeela to become a sex symbol and one of the highest-paid actresses of the time. But her career at the top was all too brief.

Also read -Urmila Matondkar looks back: 'Proud that I belong to Marathi theatre'

A child star in the 80s, Urmila was best known initially for her work in Masoom, Kalyug, and Bhavna among other films. In 1991, all of 16, she transitioned to senior roles with Narsimha, where she was the second lead behind Sunny Deol and Dimple Kapadia. Successes like Chamatkar followed before Rangeela catapulted her to stardom in 1995. In the next few years, hits like Indian, Judaai, Jungle, and Mast, along with critical acclaim in Satya, and Kaun made her one of the top actresses of her generation.

After the turn of the century in 2000, Urmila moved to more serious films with meatier roles even if it meant that the hit rate of her films came down a bit. She starred in critically acclaimed films like Pinjar, Bhoot, and Ek Hasina Thi, solidifying her status as one of the more respected actresses of her time. But in 2007, she signed a film that would signal the death knell of her career. The film was Himesh Reshammiya-starrer Karzzzz, a remake of the 1981 cult classic. Urmila played the antagonist played by Simi Garewal in the original. The film bombed at the box office and Urmila was derided by critics. The failure, coupled with the lacklustre box office performance of her previous few films made Urmila a virtual pariah.

Also read - Urmila Matondkar looks back: 'Proud that I belong to Marathi theatre'

A few months after the release of Karzzzz, Urmila appeared in her final film as a lead actor. Titled EMI, the film also starred Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and Malaika Arora. It flopped too. After this, the actress never recieved another film as a lead actress. In the 16 years since, she has appeared in a handful of films in cameo appearances, including Shabri, Hridayanath, and the Marathi film Ajoba. The 2018 release Blackmail saw her last on screen appearance. She has been active on television though, appearing as a judge on Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, Dance Maharashtra Dance, and DID Super Moms between 2008 and 2022.

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Credits - DNA