Ram Gopal Varma’s Rangeela returns to theatres after 30 years with restored re-release

Ram Gopal Varma’s 1995 classic Rangeela returns to theatres under Ultra Media’s Ultra Rewind initiative, celebrating 30 years. Varma called the film a symbol of aspiration, while Urmila Matondkar described it as a “timeless feeling” that continues to captivate audiences.

Mumbai: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, whose 1995 blockbuster “Rangeela” will be returning to the silver screen as its clocked 30 years in Hindi cinema, said that for him the film “stood for aspiration” and said that the re-release is a chance for a new generation understand that it was a shift in the “way we looked at that genre” of movies.

As part of the Ultra Rewind initiative by Ultra Media, the restored release aims to rekindle the magic for longtime fans and introduce its timeless appeal to new generations.

---

RGV said in a statement: “At the time Rangeela came, love stories were stuck in melodramatic patterns stretched to unbelievable extremes, and music was used like a filler. For me, Rangeela stood for aspiration.

Talking about Urmila Matondkar’s character, he said: “Mili was the embodiment of every ordinary person who dares to dream of something larger than life.”

He then spoke about Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff’s character and said: “Munna and Kamal were two sides of that journey—the street-smart survivor and the polished star—both real, both flawed, both necessary.

Varma added: “Now, with its re-release, what excites me is not just nostalgia. It’s also the chance for a new generation to experience that same freshness, to understand why Rangeela was not just a film but a shift in the way we looked at that genre of films.”

Ultra Media CEO Sushilkumar Agrawal added, “We are delighted to bring Rangeela back to theatres. It was a landmark film of the 90s, and this re-release will allow both old fans and new audiences to celebrate its timeless appeal.”

The film was A. R. Rahman’s first Hindi film with an original score. Rangeela revolved around Mili’s ambition of becoming a famous actor but was met with several hurdles when Raj Kamal, a noted actor, and Munna, her childhood friend, both fell in love with her.

Recently, actress Urmila Matondkar took a trip down memory lane and said that the 1995 romantic-comedy was never just a film as it is still a “feeling.”

She wrote: “Rangeela…It was never just a film..it was, and still is, a feeling…Woven with intense joy, hope, dreams, ambition, beauty, zest, affection, admiration, love and desire, struggle and triumph, sacrifice, and above all, a grand celebration of life!”

The actress said that every scene brings back an “instant, childlike smile, carrying us into a world of innocence and wonder.”

“Each song is not merely music, but a celebration of the Navrasa—the nine emotions of Indian literature and poetry: shringaar (love), hasya (laughter), karun (sorrow), Rodra (anger), veer (courage),bhayanak (fear),bibhitsa disgust), adbhut (wonder), and shaant (peace).”

She added: “An innocent girl walks onto the silver screen and, with her charm and purity, captures hearts—taking the audience on a timeless journey of beauty, poetry, life, and love.”

“And I am sure, even today, it has the power to transport you back to that very first moment—when you laughed, cheered, and fell in love with its magic. Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives, for embracing me with so much love, and for putting me in a place that only a few can even dare to dream of.. yet fewer are ever blessed to.

“Your appreciation, your accolades!! Your love have been the greatest blessings of my journey..thank you. Cheers to love, life n laughter!!! Ho Jaa Rangeela Re.”