EXCLUSIVE: “At that time on set, I realised what an actor is”- Urmila Matondkar on working with Kamal Haasan : Bollywood News

Urmila Matondkar started her career in cinema as a child artist in 1980 with Shreeram Lagoos' Marathi film Zaakol and there was no turning back for the actress from there. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Urmila Matondkar opens about her journey in the initial phase of her career.

EXCLUSIVE: “At that time on set, I realised what an actor is”- Urmila Matondkar on working with Kamal Haasan

Talking about her first film, the actress said, “I was an extreme introvert. If anyone would ask me to say my name out loudly I would start crying. Whatever, I was, I was on the stage and at that time there was no camera. So, even when I was sent to Dr Lagoo, they were worried as to what I would do and not get everyone embarrassed.”

“I have learnt one thing, that all the best artists are also great humans. I think it is important to be a good human to become a good artist and to have a great journey. Only then will you have the empathy to understand others and the big heart to encourage others to move forward rather than putting them down. That was Dr Lagoo,” she added.

Urmila Matondkar was also a part of the hit film Masoom directed by Shekhar Kapur. Talking about the film, she said, “I did Masoom after that. I was in school then and it was like a school picnic for the three of us as we were playing all the time. I even did Kalyug in between with the great Shyam Benegal sir and then I did Masoom. Masoom was the sheer genius of Shekhar Kapur. He made us work in such a way that we didn't realise we were working except for one scene where for which he and everybody else on the set at that time and everybody else till date talk about me as an actor then where the parents are fighting and she being the elder daughter knows that something is amiss at home. The kids get affected by it but they don't know what it is and she opens the door and says Mumma and they stop.”

Talking about working with Kamal Haasan, Urmila said, “While I was still in school, I did a film with Kamal Haasan sir. I remember that when I was asked for the film, I asked, ‘Real Kamal Haasan?' I did a film with him called Chanakya. At that time on set, I realised what an actor is. On the set, without any lines, he choreographed a scene. The scene was his and my characters meeting. There is no dialogue in the scene. There is only action and interaction. What an amazing actor. I was very very nervous till the time I went on set.”

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