Urmila Matondkar reflects on ‘Rangeela’s’ enduring appeal as it returns to cinemas. She attributes the cult classic’s success to its relatable, heartfelt story about ambition, not just nostalgia. Matondkar, who credits the film as a career turning point, believes its timeless narrative and emotional honesty resonate deeply with audiences, even after three decades, and welcomes the idea of a remake.

Actor Urmila Matondkar is soaking in the nostalgia and renewed attention as her cult classic ‘Rangeela’ returns to cinemas nearly 30 years after its release, yet she believes the film’s real power lies in its timeless story and emotional honesty, not in sentiment alone.

Why the story still connects

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Matondkar said the re-release underlines that a solid story never goes out of style, especially one about a girl next door, and a girl with big dreams, ready to work hard to get ahead in life. She recalled how ‘Rangeela’ arrived at a time when Bollywood was very obsessed with songs being shot in Switzerland, yet, as she pointed out, not a single song was shot out of India and almost everything stayed in Mumbai, apart from one song in Goa.

Matondkar remains moved by how strongly audiences still identify her with Mili. “It is unbelievable how people remember the name of my character. When I’m at the airport, they call me by my character’s name,” she said, calling that response a direct result of the relatability factor which the characters had in the movie.For her, the film brings a rush of feelings. “Instead of memories, it’s a big flash of happiness, excitement, thrill… Everything just comes to your mind the minute you say ‘Rangeela’,” she said, adding that the story takes viewers through many different emotions.

A career turning point and future possibilities

Matondkar credits ‘Rangeela’ as the project that transformed her career. “The film almost made the time stand still at the point when it was released,” she said, remembering the pressure of working opposite Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff. “I was pitted against 2 actors who were not just huge stars of the time, but whose movies I’ve seen in my school and had totally crushed on them.” With AR Rahman’s phenomenal music in the mix, she was only trying to do her best.She believes the film’s staying power proves that the story works in the long run and everything else is like beautiful accessories. Far from being protective or possessive, she warmly welcomes the idea of a remake. Matondkar thinks it is not helpful to hold on to old roles. She believes movies belong to the viewers, and once a film comes out, it becomes everyone’s, not just the actor’s.