Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has dismissed decades-old link-up rumours with Urmila Matondkar, calling her the “most versatile actress” he has worked with while questioning why similar speculation never surrounded his extensive collaborations with Amitabh Bachchan. In a recent interview with Zoom, RGV addressed the persistent chatter that emerged during their successful 1990s–early 2000s partnership on films like Rangeela, Daud, Satya, and Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya.

“I think she is the most versatile actress; that is why I have worked with her in so many movies. I have worked with Amitabh Bachchan more, but nobody talks about it,” Varma said, pointing out the selective nature of gossip in Bollywood. He attributed the rumours to the “system” and the way social media amplifies certain narratives.

The speculation had once reportedly strained his marriage to Ratna Varma. In his 2016 memoir Guns & Thighs, RGV dedicated an entire chapter titled “Women in My Life” to Matondkar, openly admitting he was mesmerised by her beauty and that it was the primary reason he created Rangeela—the 1995 blockbuster that launched her as a superstar alongside Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff.

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The iconic film was re-released in 4K HD on November 28, 2025, reigniting nostalgia and conversations around their legendary director-actor chemistry. Despite the re-release success, RGV made it clear that the professional admiration was never more than that, even as public memory continues to link the two names romantically.

Rangeela remains one of the defining films of 1990s Bollywood, celebrated for its music, style, and Matondkar’s breakthrough performance—a legacy RGV proudly claims was born purely out of artistic intent.

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