Urmila Matondkar was born on 4 February 1974 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India. She began acting as a child and appeared in films including Kalyug (1981) and the critically acclaimed Masoom (1983), which brought her considerable recognition as a young performer.
Her first adult leading role came in the Malayalam film Chanakyan (1989), followed by her Hindi lead debut in Narsimha (1991). She subsequently appeared in films such as Chamatkar, Drohi and Dacait.
Urmila's major breakthrough came with Ram Gopal Varma's Rangeela (1995). Her portrayal of Mili Joshi, an aspiring actress, received widespread appreciation and established her as a leading star. She subsequently delivered successful performances in Judaai (1997), Satya (1998), Kaun? (1999), Khoobsurat (1999) and Jungle (2000).
She became particularly respected for taking on challenging and unconventional roles. Her performances in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), Bhoot (2003), Tehzeeb (2003), Pinjar (2003), Ek Hasina Thi (2004) and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005) demonstrated her range as a dramatic actress. For Bhoot, she won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, along with several other awards.
Urmila also worked extensively in South Indian cinema. Her notable Telugu and Tamil films include Antham, Gaayam, Anaganaga Oka Roju and Indian, while Chanakyan was her Malayalam debut. She later made her leading debut in Marathi cinema with Ajoba (2014).
Beyond films, Urmila has worked as a television judge and presenter, appearing on shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Chak Dhoom Dhoom, Dance Maharashtra Dance and DID Super Moms. She also entered public life and politics.