Urmila Matondkar is an Indian actress, who appears in Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam language films. Apart from her acting skills, Matondkar gained popularity for her accomplished dancing skills. She made her acting debut as a child in Shreeram Lagoo's 1980 marathi film Zaakol. Later, she appeared in Shekhar Kapoor's critically acclaimed drama Masoom. Her adult role debut was in the 1989 Malayalam thriller movie Chanakyan opposite Kamal Hasan, her Bollywood debut was in the 1992 fantasy film Chamatkar with Shah Rukh Khan. She successfully made the transition from child star to adult actress with Rangeela, a critical and commercial success. Her portrayal of Mili Joshi opposite Aamir Khan received praise from critics and garnered her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
In 1997, Matondkar received a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the commercially successful drama Judaai. The following year, she starred in the crime drama Satya, one of the greatest film of Indian cinema, for which she received another Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress. The same year, her dance performance in the iconic item number "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate won her rave reviews. In 1999, she received praise for playing a psychopath in the moderately successful psychological thriller Kaun and starred in the box-office hits such as Jaanam Samjha Karo, Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain and Khoobsurat. She portrayed an obsessive lover in the 2001 romantic drama Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, which earned her a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
From 2003 to 2005, Matondkar starred in six consecutive films that garnered her widespread critical acclaim. In 2003, she portrayed a possessed woman in the 2003 successful horror Bhoot, which won her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. The same year, she starred in the drama Tehzeeb and the period drama Pinjar, based on the 1947 partition of India. These were followed by a role of a violent avenger in the 2004 neo-noir Ek Hasina Thi, which garnered her several Best Actress nominations. In 2005, she played a troubled woman in the horror Naina and a caring daughter in the drama Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara. In 2014, she made her Marathi film debut in drama Ajoba, in which she portrayed a wildlife photographer.