The 1990s gave Bollywood several memorable on-screen pairings, and… Urmila Matondkar and Shah Rukh Khan were among the popular names of that era. While Shah Rukh Khan was making his mark as a leading man, Urmila Matondkar was also winning audiences over with her exemplary screen presence. The two actors came together for Rajiv Mehra’s directorial film Chamatkar (1992) but their first meeting on set was not as easy as one might imagine.
Back To The 90s: Urmila Matondkar Recalls Her First ‘Chamatkar’ Scene With Shah Rukh Khan
In an exclusive throwback interview with Lehren, Urmila looked back at filming the movie and recalled how she struggled to shoot her very first scene with Shah Rukh Khan. Interestingly, the scene required her to kick him, even though they had only just met.
Before talking about the awkward moment, Urmila remembered the fun she had while shooting the film’s popular song, Bichhoo O Bichhoo. “Chamatkar mein… my God! The only thing I enjoyed the most was ‘Bichhoo Mujhe Kaat Khayega’. Bahut hi, bahut hi, hum logon ne uss gaane ki picturisation ke waqt pehle din se last din tak bahut mazza kiya,” she recalled.
However, shooting her first scene with Shah Rukh was a different experience. The actress had to walk up to him, kick him and call him “badtameez” or something similar. Since she had barely spoken to him before the shot, she felt very uncomfortable doing it. “Mujhe aake… Shah Rukh ko ek kick maarni thi. Jaise hi main camera mein aati hoon, main kick maarti hoon aur usko kehti hoon ‘badtameez’ ya aisa kuch,” she explained.
She added, “Toh mujhe itna darr lag raha tha ki 2 minute pehle meri usse mulaaqaat hui thi aur next shot mein main use directly kick kar rahi hoon!”
Shah Rukh Khan Helped Her Get Comfortable
Urmila revealed that the scene required two or three retakes because she simply could not bring herself to kick him.
“Toh do-teen retakes hue. Main usko kick hi nahi kar paati thi. Main aati thi camera tak aur main kehti, ‘Nahi, yeh mujhse nahi hoga.’”
Eventually, Shah Rukh reassured her that it was part of the scene and there was nothing to worry about. “Finally, he said, ‘Look, Urmila, it’s fine, no problem. You are supposed to kick in the shot. Kya problem hai? It’s okay,’” she recalled.
His response helped her relax and she finally delivered the kick as required. Laughing about the experience, she remembered how difficult that seemingly simple shot had been for her.
Why Bichhoo O Bichhoo Remains Special
Urmila also spoke fondly about shooting Bichhoo O Bichhoo song, particularly the playful moments involving shoelaces and the fun they had throughout the song’s picturisation.
“Wahan se leke, jahan tak gaana chaalu raha hai… matlab, woh poora gaana jahan pe hum log shoelace tie kar rahe hain, usko ulta-pulta kar rahe hain. It was great fun!”
She added that the song was loved by people across age groups, from children to adults. “Bahut kam jagah pe aisa hota hai ki saare age group ke log ek cheez enjoy karte hain. It is one of those kinds of songs,” she said.
Stories like these offer a glimpse into the small, human moments behind films we remember even today. Urmila’s recollection captures both the nervousness of working with a new co-star and the fun that followed, making this Chamatkar memory a lovely throwback for Bollywood fans.
Full interview:
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