During the filming of ‘Rangeela’s’ iconic track ‘Hai Rama’, choreographer Ahmed Khan faced an unexpected hurdle when Jackie Shroff’s enthusiastic spin led to an accidental bruise on Urmila Matondkar. However, with Urmila’s comforting words and the motivating presence of Ram Gopal Varma, Khan found the strength to push through. Most fans remember ‘Rangeela’ and its song ‘Hai Rama’ for its sensual choreography and flawless chemistry, but Ahmed Khan has now revealed that one of the smoothest moments in the track was actually the hardest to film. The choreographer, who was only 19 at the time, shared that Jackie Shroff’s powerful spin in the sequence accidentally left Urmila Matondkar with a bruise, even though the actor was trying his best to help him on set.Speaking to SCREEN Spotlight, Ahmed recalled shooting the dramatic “catfight” portion at Mehboob Studio. He said, “Jaggu da makes it look very rough, but he’s not. He’s a soft man. But the way he held her, he got Urmila in one or two places… He had to turn and spin her. He really spun her. That’s when she got a bruise on her arm.” Despite the slip, Jackie immediately reassured the young choreographer. “Jaggu da told me, ‘Bhedu, tu tension mat le. Main sab sambhal lunga.’”
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Ahmed recalled being too young and too nervous to tell Jackie how gently to hold Urmila, but the actor made sure he never felt overwhelmed. “He was just trying to put an effort that I’m with you, don’t get scared. That kept me going.”
Urmila Matondkar felt the pain but understood the moment
Khan shared that Urmila did mention the discomfort more than once. “Urmila did tell me… ‘He’s pulling me too hard.’ But then she realised that was the demand of the sequence.” Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Varma’s enthusiasm kept the team energised. “He’d just stand up and clap. That used to boost me,” Ahmed said, adding that RGV’s trust gave him the confidence to work freely.Khan also spoke fondly about his long bond with Urmila. “Urmila and I have a special connection because we’re both child artists. When I think of Urmila, it brings a smile to my face. We share a success story.”Both grew up on legendary film sets, with Urmila starting out in ‘Masoom’ and Ahmed in ‘Mr India’, before meeting again as young adults in ‘Rangeela’, the film that transformed both their careers.