Urmila Matondkar reveals Manish Malhotra scolded her for saying 'I wore a Rs 500 saree in Satya'

Urmila Matondkar

Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya was re-released in theatres on January 17, 26 years after its original release. The landmark event brought together the cast—Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Makarand Deshpande, and JD Chakravarthy—along with writer Anurag Kashyap and the filmmaker himself. The reunion was filled with nostalgia and candid anecdotes, one of which involved costume designer Manish Malhotra’s memorable reaction to Urmila’s candidness.

During an interview with Radio Nasha, Urmila recalled how critics at the time only focused on her glamorous image, a perception she was determined to break with her performance in Satya. Referring to a key scene with Shefali Shah and Manoj Bajpayee, she said, “I was completely convinced that I was sitting in front of super talent. My goal was to match their level and prove all those critics wrong who were obsessed with my glamour quotient.”

Urmila shared a humorous yet revealing story about her on-screen wardrobe in Satya. The film, which was a stark departure from the glamour of her earlier works like Rangeela, saw her donning simple sarees. “We were breaking our heads buying cheap sarees,” she recalled. However, during an interview, she revealed the sarees’ cost, stating, “I am wearing sarees worth Rs 500,” as a way to emphasise the film’s raw and realistic tone.

The statement did not sit well with designer Manish Malhotra. Urmila recounted, “He yelled at me, ‘Tumne Rs 500 ka saree kyu bola? Was it necessary to mention THAT?’ I tried to explain that this was exactly the point of Satya—the simplicity and authenticity. But I guess he missed it then.” She joked that today, Manish would probably appreciate how everything has balanced out.