Urmila Matondkar on Sanjay Dutt: 'Original macho man' hated dance rehearsals
Synopsis
Urmila Matondkar's appearance on India's Best Dancer Season 5 produced one of the more charming Bollywood confessions in recent memory: Sanjay Dutt, the industry's self-styled 'original macho man', would sulk and protest before every dance number — then quietly rehearse in private and deliver a flawless performance on the day.
Key Takeaways
Urmila Matondkar appeared on India's Best Dancer Season 5 and shared behind-the-scenes memories of working with Sanjay Dutt .
She revealed Dutt would be in a 'bad mood' before every dance number, resisting the sequence — only to secretly rehearse and perform well on the day.
Matondkar described Dutt as the 'original macho man of the industry' but also 'equally a darling to work with'.
The two co-starred in Daud ( 1997 ), Khoobsurat ( 1999 ), and Jung ( 2000 ).
Songs from their collaborations — including 'O Bhavre' , 'Aana Zara Paas To Aa' , and 'Aaila Re' — remain popular among fans of 1990s Bollywood .
Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar has lifted the curtain on a charming behind-the-scenes quirk of Sanjay Dutt — his well-known reluctance whenever a dance number came up on set. Matondkar made the revelation during her appearance on the dance reality show India's Best Dancer Season 5, where she took the audience on a nostalgic trip through her 1990s collaborations with the veteran star.
What Urmila Matondkar Said
Responding to host Harsh's question about her experience working with Sanjay Dutt, Matondkar shared a candid memory that she said every actress who has worked with Dutt would recognise. 'Sanju ki ek baat main aap ko batati hu, maine unke saath do-teen filmein ki hai. Sab actresses aapko batayengi jinhone unke saath kaam kiya hai. Jab bhi dance ka gaana aata hai, woh itne kharab mood mein rehte aur kehte hai, 'Yaar mujhe ye nahi karna hai, mujhe vo nahi karna hai.' Phir chupke se jaake rehearsals kar ke final mein jab woh aake dance karte, toh aapko lagta hai, toh itna kya bol rahe the? Woh hai unka. Woh bahut irritate ho jayenge because he is the original macho man of the industry, but equally darling to work with,' she said.
In essence, Matondkar described a pattern where Dutt would grumble and resist whenever a dance song was scheduled — only to quietly slip away for rehearsals and then deliver a polished performance on the day. The contrast between his complaints and his final output, she suggested, left co-stars bemused every time.
Films They Shared the Screen In
Matondkar and Dutt appeared together in several films across the late 1990s and early 2000s, including Daud (1997), Khoobsurat (1999), and Jung (2000). Their pairing drew considerable audience appreciation, and the films produced songs that remain touchstones of that era's popular music.
Songs That Endure
Among the numbers fans continue to recall are 'O Bhavre' from Daud, 'Aana Zara Paas To Aa' from Khoobsurat, and 'Aaila Re' from Jung. That these tracks are still referenced decades later speaks to the on-screen chemistry the two actors managed to build — apparently despite Dutt's pre-shoot complaints about dancing.
The Broader Picture
Matondkar's appearance on India's Best Dancer Season 5 is the latest in a series of nostalgia-driven celebrity visits to dance reality shows, which have become a reliable format for revisiting the golden era of 1990s Hindi cinema. Her anecdote adds a human dimension to Dutt's larger-than-life screen image, portraying him as simultaneously resistant and dedicated — a combination that, by Matondkar's account, made him a genuinely enjoyable co-star once the cameras rolled.
Point of View
But it also quietly underscores something the Bollywood nostalgia circuit rarely acknowledges: that the stars of the 1990s mastered a kind of performative reluctance that was itself part of the persona. Dutt's 'macho man' image was commercially constructed, and his grumbling about dance sequences was almost certainly understood on set as theatre. The fact that Matondkar frames it as endearing rather than difficult reveals how differently the industry's internal culture processed ego and artistry. Reality shows mining this era are less about dance and more about controlled nostalgia — and Matondkar's appearance fits that template precisely.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Urmila Matondkar say about Sanjay Dutt and dancing?
Urmila Matondkar said that Sanjay Dutt would always be in a bad mood whenever a dance song came up on set, complaining that he did not want to do it. He would then secretly go and rehearse, and when he finally performed, co-stars were left wondering why he had complained at all.
Which show did Urmila Matondkar appear on to share this story?
Urmila Matondkar made these revelations during her appearance on India's Best Dancer Season 5, responding to a question from host Harsh about her experience working with Sanjay Dutt.
Which films did Urmila Matondkar and Sanjay Dutt do together?
The two co-starred in Daud (1997), Khoobsurat (1999), and Jung (2000). Their on-screen pairing was well-received by audiences, and several songs from those films remain popular.
What songs from their films together are still remembered?
'O Bhavre' from Daud, 'Aana Zara Paas To Aa' from Khoobsurat, and 'Aaila Re' from Jung are among the tracks that continue to be recalled by fans of 1990s Bollywood music.
How did Urmila Matondkar describe Sanjay Dutt as a co-star?
Despite his pre-shoot grumbling about dance sequences, Matondkar described Dutt as 'equally a darling to work with', saying he is the 'original macho man of the industry' but a genuinely enjoyable collaborator once on set.
