Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar has revealed that she nearly turned down the opportunity to perform 'Chamma Chamma' — the song from China Gate that went on to become one of Hindi cinema's most enduring dance numbers. The disclosure came during her appearance as a special guest on the upcoming episode of India's Best Dancer Season 5.

Why Urmila Almost Said No

Matondkar was candid about her initial reluctance, explaining that the cultural perception of item songs at the time made her deeply uncomfortable with the idea. She recounted being approached for a guest appearance in China Gate, directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi.

In her own words: 'Mujhe kaha gaya ki Raj Kumar Santoshi ji, the great director of the film China Gate, basically uss waqt ki aap please ismein guest appearance item song kijiye. Toh main bilkul iske favour mein nahi thi kyuki item song uss waqt bahut galat tarike se dekhe jaate the.'

(Translation: I was told that Raj Kumar Santoshi ji, the great director of China Gate, wanted me to do a guest appearance item song. But I was completely against it because, at that time, item songs were looked at in a very negative way.)

How Raj Kumar Santoshi Changed Her Mind

It was Santoshi's vision — and a specific creative challenge he put to her — that ultimately shifted Matondkar's perspective. She recalled his words: 'Urmila ek gaana aaya tha barso pehle aur jab bhi log dance ki baat karte hai aur choreography ki baat karte hai toh ye ek gaana hai jo aadmi ke aankhon ke saamne aata hai. Mujhe uss gaane se behtar gaana karna hai.'

(Translation: 'Urmila, there was a song that came years ago, and whenever people talk about dance and choreography, this is the one song that immediately comes to mind. I want to create something better than that.')

That aspiration, according to Matondkar, was what convinced her to take on the role.

Shot in Three Days Instead of Twelve

One of the more surprising revelations was how swiftly the song was filmed. Matondkar disclosed that she had asked choreographer Ganesh Master about the shooting schedule, only to learn that the production defied its own timeline.

She said: 'Maine pucha Ganesh Master ji se ye gaana kitne din shoot hoga, fir unhone bola plan toh baarah (12) din ka tha par humne teen din mein shoot kiya vo gaana.'

(Translation: 'I asked Ganesh Master ji how many days the song would take to shoot, and he said, The plan was for twelve days, but we ended up shooting the entire song in just three days.')

Karisma Kapoor Recalls the Song's Impact

Karisma Kapoor, serving as a judge on India's Best Dancer Season 5, was also present during the episode and shared her own memory of the song's release. She said: 'Vo time pe I remember when this song had come out, I complimented him and told him like what a song, amazing, and Urmila has done so well.'

(Translation: I remember when this song released, I said, 'What a song! It's amazing, and Urmila has performed so beautifully.')

The episode featuring Matondkar's revelations is set to air as part of the upcoming season, and her candid account offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how one of Bollywood's most celebrated dance numbers almost never happened.