Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma and actress Urmila Matondkar, who were frequently linked in the 1990s, have once again become the subject of discussion after a veteran journalist made a startling claim about their relationship. Speaking in a recent interview, senior Bollywood journalist Jyoti Venkatesh alleged that the two had secretly married while they were reportedly dating.
During a conversation with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Venkatesh claimed that he first heard about the alleged marriage from actor Chiranjeevi while visiting the sets of Gentleman.
Recalling the conversation, Venkatesh said, "Chiranjeevi told me, 'Jyoti, as a journalist, you write about everything, then why did you not write about Ram Gopal Varma's marriage to Urmila'."
According to the journalist, he was taken aback by the claim and asked Chiranjeevi if he had any proof. He alleged that the actor told him the wedding had taken place at a temple in Andhra Pradesh and even shared the contact number of the priest who had reportedly conducted the ceremony.
Before publishing the story, Venkatesh said he decided to verify the information with Urmila herself. Recalling that conversation, he claimed the actress became emotional and said, "How can you write about me like that.. You have known about me since I entered the industry."
Venkatesh further revealed that he also contacted Ram Gopal Varma for his response, but the filmmaker allegedly declined to comment on the matter.
The journalist also spoke about the reported end of their relationship. According to him, Urmila wanted to formalise the relationship through a legal marriage, while Ram Gopal Varma was not willing to do so at the time, which eventually led to their separation. However, neither Varma nor Urmila has publicly confirmed these claims.
Ram Gopal Varma and Urmila worked together on several successful films between the 1990s and early 2000s, including Rangeela, Daud, Satya and Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. Their repeated collaborations fuelled speculation that their bond extended beyond their professional association. At the time, several reports also claimed that the rumours had affected RGV's relationship with his then-wife, Ratna Varma.
Years later, Ram Gopal Varma wrote about Urmila in his autobiography, Guns & Thighs: The Story of My Life. In a chapter titled Women in My Life, the filmmaker admitted that he was mesmerised by her beauty and revealed that his admiration for her inspired him to cast her as the lead in Rangeela.
