Urmila Matondkar on 'Chamma Chamma': No rehearsal, back-to-back shifts
Synopsis
Urmila Matondkar has revealed she walked onto the 'Chamma Chamma' set at 9 AM with zero rehearsal — after an overnight shoot for 'Jaanam Samjha Karo' that ran till 6 AM. The song she nearly had a heart attack over went on to feature in Hollywood's Academy Award-winning Moulin Rouge.
Key Takeaways
Urmila Matondkar revealed on India's Best Dancer that she shot 'Chamma Chamma' with no rehearsal after an all-night shift.
The 'Jaanam Samjha Karo' title track shoot ran from 7 PM to 6 AM ; the 'Chamma Chamma' shoot began at 9 AM the same morning at Mehboob Studio .
Director Rajkumar Santoshi told Urmila his goal was to create a song that would surpass the most iconic Bollywood dance number of its time.
Judge Terence Lewis noted that 'Chamma Chamma' was used in the climax of the Hollywood film Moulin Rouge , which won several Academy Awards .
Actress Urmila Matondkar has revealed the gruelling behind-the-scenes story of how she shot the iconic song 'Chamma Chamma' from China Gate — without a single rehearsal — while simultaneously filming the title track of Salman Khan's 'Jaanam Samjha Karo'. The disclosure came during her appearance on the dance reality show India's Best Dancer, where she recounted the near-impossible scheduling she endured during one of the most defining periods of her career.
The Double-Shift That Almost Broke Her
Urmila described arriving at Mehboob Studio for the 9 AM 'Chamma Chamma' shoot having not slept — and having had zero rehearsal time. 'Ab do shooting ke beech mein, main double shift kar rahi thi. Kal subah 9 baje se iss gaane ki shooting thi Mehboob Studio mein. Dono ke beech mein main gayi hu rehearsal dekhne ke liye jaisa unhone mujhe choreography dikhayi, mujhe bas ek heart attack aane ki kami thi kyuki maine bola, 'Ye kya hai, main kaise karungi?'' she recalled.
The night before the 'Chamma Chamma' shoot, she had been filming the title track of 'Jaanam Samjha Karo' — a shift originally scheduled from 7 PM to 2 AM that stretched all the way to 6 AM. She then went directly to the next shoot. 'Uske baad 9 baje main ye gaana karne bina rehearsal pahunchi. Kaisa kiya hoga maine,' she said, reflecting on how she managed it at all.
What Director Rajkumar Santoshi Told Her
China Gate director Rajkumar Santoshi played a pivotal role in pushing Urmila to deliver her best. 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.'
Santoshi's ambition — to surpass a song that had become synonymous with Bollywood dance — set the creative stakes high, even as Urmila was running on no sleep and no preparation.
'Chamma Chamma' in Hollywood: The Moulin Rouge Connection
Judge Terence Lewis, who is part of this season of India's Best Dancer, highlighted the song's remarkable global reach. He noted that 'Chamma Chamma' was featured in the climax sequence of the Hollywood film Moulin Rouge, which went on to win several Academy Awards.
'Ek film bani Hollywood mein, it's called Moulin Rouge and Moulin Rouge ka climax song tha. Usmein Chamma Chamma was used. Vo film bahut saare Academy Award jeeti thi,' Lewis said, underscoring just how far the song's cultural footprint extended beyond Indian cinema.
The Legacy of an Accidental Classic
The anecdote adds a remarkable dimension to 'Chamma Chamma's' legacy — a song that was reportedly executed under extreme physical and logistical pressure has since become one of the most recognisable numbers in Bollywood history, and one of the few Indian film songs to feature in a major Hollywood production. Urmila's account is a reminder that some of cinema's most enduring moments are born not from ideal conditions, but from sheer professional tenacity. Her appearance on India's Best Dancer is likely to reignite interest in the song among a new generation of dance enthusiasts.
Point of View
Unglamorous labour behind a pop-culture landmark. What's striking is not just the physical feat but the systemic pressure it exposes — an industry where a lead actress is expected to deliver an iconic dance sequence on zero sleep and zero preparation, and be grateful for the opportunity. That the song succeeded despite these conditions says something about Urmila's craft; that these conditions were considered normal says something less flattering about how the industry treated its talent.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Urmila Matondkar reveal about shooting 'Chamma Chamma'?
Urmila Matondkar revealed that she shot 'Chamma Chamma' at Mehboob Studio at 9 AM without any rehearsal, having spent the entire previous night filming the title track of 'Jaanam Samjha Karo', a shift that ran from 7 PM all the way to 6 AM. She made the disclosure during an appearance on India's Best Dancer.
What is the Hollywood connection of 'Chamma Chamma'?
According to India's Best Dancer judge Terence Lewis, 'Chamma Chamma' was featured in the climax sequence of the Hollywood film Moulin Rouge, which won several Academy Awards. Lewis recalled the moment the song played in the film as evidence of its extraordinary global popularity.
Who directed 'Chamma Chamma' and what was his vision?
China Gate director Rajkumar Santoshi directed the song. He reportedly told Urmila that his goal was to create a song that would surpass the most iconic Bollywood dance number of its era — setting a high creative bar even under difficult shooting conditions.
Where did Urmila Matondkar make these revelations?
Urmila Matondkar shared these anecdotes during her appearance on the dance reality show India's Best Dancer, where judge Terence Lewis also spoke about the song's international legacy.
What films were Urmila Matondkar simultaneously shooting during this period?
Urmila was simultaneously working on China Gate, which featured 'Chamma Chamma', and 'Jaanam Samjha Karo' starring Salman Khan, whose title track she was shooting the night before the 'Chamma Chamma' schedule.
