Urmila’s new innings with Shiv Sena to be challenging

Known to be frank in her words, Urmila had joined the Congress ahead of 2019 Assembly elections

Starting as a child artist in ‘Karm’ and ‘Masoom’ to delivering Bollywood hits like ‘Narsimha’, ‘Rangeela’, ‘Satya’, ‘Ek Hasina Thi’ and thought-provoking films like ‘Pinjar’ and ‘Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara’, a challenging new innings awaits actor-activist-politician Urmila Matondkar.

Considered a “thinking actress” with a “charismatic image” she is known to take up daring roles and make a mark.

The 46-year-old Urmila, who has the image of ‘Marathi-mulgi’ is all set to join the Shiv Sena on Tuesday in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Known to be frank in her words, Urmila had joined the Congress in presence of Rahul Gandhi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, unsuccessfully contested the Mumbai North seat against BJP stalwart Gopal Shetty – and called it quits ahead of the Vidhan Sabha polls the same year. She was perturbed because of the infighting in the Mumbai Congress unit factions led by Sanjay Nirupam and Milind Deora.

The path ahead in the wake of transition from Congress to Shiv Sena, which runs the Maha Vikas Aghadi government along with NCP, is not an easy one – but Urmila like her roles – prefers to take challenges.

With the elections to BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – one of the biggest civic bodies of Asia - scheduled for 2022, she will be one of the key faces of the Sena, founded by late Bal Thackeray. Her background as a good student and knowledge of politics and ideologies will surely come in handy to the party.

The BJP will leave no stones unturned in targeting her – and she is well aware of that.

Matondkar married Kashmir-based businessman and model Mohsin Akhtar Mir – and is involved in a lot of social causes.

During the Lok Sabha campaign, in an interview to DH, she had said: “In films, there is a schedule, in politics there is no schedule. In films, there is a script, in politics there is no set script. In film, you don't get hit, in politics there are chances you may get hit. I have given 100 per cent to films, I will give 100 per cent to politics.” This was a clear indication that she was not going to stop.

Recently when actor Kangana Ranaut attacked a section of Bollywood, the Thackerays and the MVA government, Urmila responded strongly.