30 Years of Rangeela: Aamir Khan’s Munna and Bollywood’s cultural shift

30 Years of Rangeela: Aamir Khan’s Munna and Bollywood’s cultural shift

In 1995, when Rangeela arrived in theatres, few could have predicted the storm it would unleash on Indian cinema. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, this vibrant romance wasn’t just another love triangle; it was a statement. It redefined how Bollywood looked, sounded, and even moved. Three decades later, its glow hasn’t dimmed.

At the centre of the story was Aamir Khan’s unforgettable turn as Munna, a cheeky Mumbai tapori whose heart quietly beats for his childhood friend Mili. What made Aamir’s performance iconic wasn’t grand gestures or melodrama, but restraint. His streetwise slang, casual swagger, and emotional undercurrent felt lived-in, not acted out. Long before the term “method acting” was fashionable in Bollywood, Aamir was embodying it with ease. Munna became the everyman — flawed, funny, vulnerable, and deeply relatable.

But Rangeela was never just Aamir’s film. Urmila Matondkar’s Mili embodied ambition and sensuality in a way Hindi cinema hadn’t seen before. She was glamorous without apology, career-driven without shame, and her energy gave the film its pulse. Her transformation through designer Manish Malhotra’s styling created a new template for Bollywood fashion, one that audiences and filmmakers still chase.

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Then there was A.R. Rahman. His soundtrack didn’t just complement the film — it revolutionized it. Tracks like Tanha Tanha and Rangeela Re blended Indian melodies with international sounds, making it clear that Bollywood music had entered a bold new era. The beats, the synth, the layering — everything about it felt global yet rooted, timeless yet fresh.

Visually, too, Rangeela was a feast. Its neon colour palette, urban montages, and kinetic choreography marked a departure from the rural landscapes and static framing that dominated much of Bollywood until then. The film looked like Mumbai itself — chaotic, alive, and modern.

Thirty years on, Rangeela stands not just as a beloved classic but as a cultural milestone. It marked Aamir Khan’s transition into a serious actor, elevated Urmila into stardom, cemented Rahman as a genius, and proved that Bollywood could reinvent itself without losing its soul.

Rangeela wasn’t just a movie. It was the beginning of Bollywood’s 90s renaissance.