Urmila Kanetkar
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Urmilla Kothare (; pronounced ; born 4 May 1986) is an Indian actress and dancer who primarily works in
Marathi films Marathi cinema is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Marathi language, which is widely spoken in the state of Maharashtra. It is based out of Mumbai. It is the oldest film industry in India an ...
and television. She is known for her performances in both leading and supporting roles in mainstream productions. Trained in
Kathak ''Kathak'' is one of the eight major forms of Classical Indian dance, Indian classical dance. Its origin is attributed to the traveling bards in ancient northern India known as ''Kathakar'' ("storyteller"), who communicated stories from the ...
and holding a Master's degree, she began her acting career with the Marathi daily soap ''Tuzyavina'' (2003–2004). She made her film debut with ''Shubha Mangal Saavadhan'', followed by a few brief roles before appearing in the Hindi television shows ''
Maayka ''Maayka - Saath Zindagi Bhar Ka'' is an Indian television series that was aired on Zee TV from 15 January 2007 until 13 August 2009. . The series was originally produced by Classic Productions, but was taken over by Dheeraj Kumar's, Creative ...
'' (2007) and '' Mera Sasural'' (2008). She earned widespread acclaim in 2011 for her performances in ''
Mala Aai Vhhaychy! ''Mala Aai Vhhaychay!'' ( ''I Want to Be a Mother!'') is a 2011 Indian Marathi-language film produced and directed by Samruoddhi Porey. The story deals with rising surrogacy instances in India, where women are used as surrogates by foreigners. ...
'', where she portrayed a surrogate mother, and ''Dubhang'', in which she played a loving wife; the former earned her the
Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar Zee Marathi is an Indian Marathi-language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. The channel was launched on 15 August 1999 and was known as Alpha TV Marathi until 28 March 2005, when it was rena ...
. She went on to appear in several commercial successes, including the romcom ''
Duniyadari ''Duniyadari'' ( ''Worldliness'') is a 2013 Indian Marathi-language coming-of-age romantic comedy drama film directed by Sanjay Jadhav and produced by Deepak Rane under Dreaming 24/7 Productions. It is considered to be a cult film in Marathi ...
'' (2013), the love story '' Pyaar Vali Love Story'' (2014), and the romantic drama '' Ti Saddhya Kay Karte'' (2017)—all of which featured her in supporting roles. For ''Duniyadari'', she received the MFK Award for Favourite Supporting Actress. In 2013, she reprised her ''Mala Aai Vhhaychy!'' role in its Telugu remake ''
Welcome Obama ''Welcome Obama'' is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, who also composed the soundtrack. A remake of the Marathi film ''Mala Aai Vhhaychy!'' (2011), the film stars Urmila Kanetkar, Rachel and Esteban ...
''. Kothare continued to earn critical acclaim for her leading roles in '' Anvatt'' (2014) as a conflicted wife, ''
Baavare Prem He ''Baavare Prem He'' is an Indian Marathi language film directed and writer by Ajay Kishor Naik and produced by Nilesh Singh, Nimesh Desai and Virendra Chavan. The film stars Urmilla Kothare, Siddharth Chandekar and Vidyadhar Joshi. The film was ...
'' (2014) as a bibliophile, ''
Kaakan Kaakan is a Marathi language movie released in 2015 directed by Kranti Redkar starring Jitendra Joshi and Urmila Kanitkar on lead roles. The movie can be watched on youtube for free. Plot The movie starts with some boys talking about an old ...
'' (2015) as a wealthy young girl, and '' Karaar'' (2017) as an emotionally troubled, infertile woman. She made her web series debut in 2018 with the thriller '' Breathe'', and later appeared in two well-received Marathi web shows, '' RaanBaazaar'' and ''Athang'' (both in 2022). That same year, she returned to television with ''
Tuzech Mi Geet Gaat Aahe ''Tuzech Mi Geet Gaat Aahe'' () is an Indian Marathi language television series directed by Kedar Vaidya. It premiered on 2 May 2022 on Star Pravah. It stars Avani Taywade, Abhijeet Khandkekar, Priya Marathe-Moghe and Urmila Kothare in lead r ...
''. Her recent film appearances include ''
Ekda Kaay Zala ''Ekda Kaay Zala'' (transl. Once upon a time) is a 2022 Marathi-language family drama film directed and produced by Saleel Kulkarni. The film stars Sumeet Raghavan as the titular character with Urmilla Kothare, Mohan Agashe, Pushkar Shrotri, ...
'' (2022) and ''
Autograph An autograph is a person's own handwriting or signature. The word ''autograph'' comes from Ancient Greek (, ''autós'', "self" and , ''gráphō'', "write"), and can mean more specifically: Gove, Philip B. (ed.), 1981. ''Webster's Third New Intern ...
'' (2023). Beyond her acting career, Kothare also runs a dance academy in Mumbai called ''NitryaAsha''. She is married to actor-director
Adinath Kothare Adinath Kothare (; born 13 May 1984) is an Indian actor and filmmaker who predominantly works in Marathi cinema. He has received several accolades, including a National Film Awards, National Film Award and a Maharashtra State Film Awards, Mahar ...
, and the couple has a daughter.


Early life

Urmila Kanetkar was born on 4 May 1986 into a
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
family in
Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...
. She went on to train in
Kathak ''Kathak'' is one of the eight major forms of Classical Indian dance, Indian classical dance. Its origin is attributed to the traveling bards in ancient northern India known as ''Kathakar'' ("storyteller"), who communicated stories from the ...
from Asha Joglekar, who kindled her interest in dance at early age and has a
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
degree in it from the
St. Xavier's College, Mumbai St. Xavier's College is a private, Catholic Church, Catholic, institution of higher education run by the Bombay Province of the Society of Jesus in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was founded by the Jesuits on 2 January 1869. The college is ...
. In 1997, she participated in the program held for fiftieth
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
Celebrations for
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. She has taken lessons in Bhubaneshwar from Sujata Mahapatra for
Odissi ''Odissi'' (''ଓଡ଼ିଶୀ'') also referred to as ''Orissi'' in old literature, oldest surviving classical dance of India, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the Hindu temple, temples of Odisha – an eastern ...
.


Career


Early work and recognition (2003–2010)

Kothare began her acting career with the Marathi television series ''Tuzyavina'' (2003–2004) on
Zee Marathi Zee Marathi is an Indian Marathi-language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. The channel was launched on 15 August 1999 and was known as Alpha TV Marathi until 28 March 2005, when it was r ...
, where she appeared alongside
Varsha Usgaonkar Varsha Usgaonkar (born 28 February 1968) is an Indian actress, model, singer and television personality. Referred to as the "Wonder girl of Marathi cinema," she has appeared in over 100 Marathi and Hindi films. She is regarded as one of the m ...
,
Yatin Karyekar Yatin Karyekar is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi films. He gained prominence for his role in the long running 1994 television serial '' Shanti''. He appeared in the role of Aurangzeb in popular Marathi serial Raja Shivchhatrapa ...
and
Chinmay Mandlekar Chinmay Mandlekar (born 2 February 1979) is an Indian actor, writer and stage director, mostly active in the Marathi entertainment industry. He is known for his work in Zenda, Morya, ''Farzand'' (2018), '' Fatteshikast'' (2019), ''The Kashmir ...
. In 2005, she played a brief role in ''Ankur'', a drama directed by Pratima Kulkarni, which also aired on Zee Marathi. In 2006, she made her film debut as the lead in
Mahesh Kothare Mahesh Ambar Kothare (Marathi pronunciation: əɦeːʃ koʈʰaːɾe born 28 September 1953) is an Indian film actor, director and producer of Marathi and Hindi films. He is regarded as a revolutionary figure in the Marathi film industry, know ...
's comedy-drama ''Shubha Mangal Saavadhan'', starring alongside veteran actors
Ashok Saraf Ashok Saraf (born 4 June 1947) is an Indian actor and comedian, known for his work in Marathi and Hindi films along with theatre in both languages. Saraf has received several awards including eleven Maharashtra State Film Awards and four Filmfar ...
and
Reema Lagoo Reema Lagoo (born Nayan Bhadbhade; 21 June 1958 – 18 May 2017) was an Indian theatre and screen actress known for her work in Hindi and Marathi cinema. She began her acting career in the Marathi theatre, after which she became a household na ...
. She portrayed a young girl who falls in love with a man whose parents disapprove of her father's lifestyle, leading to complications in their married life. The film was a commercial success. The same year, she appeared in a supporting role in
Rajendra Talak Rajendra Talak is an Indian film director. He is best known for his award-winning Konkani language, Konkani films, such as Aleesha (film), ''Aleesha'' and ''O Maria''. Early life Talak was born in Comba, Goa, Comba, Margao, Goa, India. He at ...
's critically acclaimed drama ''Savalee'', and also portrayed the younger version of Lagoo's character in
Sanjay Surkar Sanjay Surkar (19 August 1959 27 September 2012) was a Marathi film director. He won three National Film Awards for the films ''Rao Saheb'' (1996), '' Tu Tithe Mee'' (1998) and ''Gharabaher'' (1999) in Best Feature Film in Marathi category. Al ...
's ''Aai Shappath..!''. In 2007, she returned to television and made her Hindi television debut with Classic Productions' ''
Maayka ''Maayka - Saath Zindagi Bhar Ka'' is an Indian television series that was aired on Zee TV from 15 January 2007 until 13 August 2009. . The series was originally produced by Classic Productions, but was taken over by Dheeraj Kumar's, Creative ...
'', which aired on
Zee TV ZEE TV also known as Z TV is an Indian Hindi language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched on 1 October 1992 as the oldest privately owned television channel in India. History ...
. The show initially centered around her character, but her role was eventually written off following a reported fallout between the channel and the production house. Around the same time, she played the lead opposite Darshan Dave in '' Mera Sasural'' on
Sahara One Sahara One is an Indian Hindi general entertainment channel based in New Delhi. It was operated by Sahara India Pariwar. History Sahara One was launched as Sahara TV on 28 March 2000, which later was renamed as Sahara Manoranjan in April 200 ...
, a series that depicted a young Kashmiri girl's emotional journey as she adapted to her married life. She became a household name when she replaced
Manasi Salvi Manasi Salvi is an Indian television actress. She is best known for her roles in '' Aashirwad'', '' Kohi Apna Sa'', '' Awaz – Dil Se Dil Tak'', ''Aakrosh'', '' Sati...Satya Ki Shakti'', '' Asambhav'', '' Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaa ...
in
Satish Rajwade Satish Rajwade (born 9 January 1973) is an Indian Marathi film and television director and writer. He has also acted in few Hindi films and Marathi television series. Career Rajwade started his career with acting in various Hindi and Marathi f ...
's mystery drama ''
Asambhav ''Asambhav'' () is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Rajiv Rai and produced by Gulshan Rai under the Trimurti Films banner. It was released on 23 July 2004, starring Arjun Rampal, Naseeruddin Shah and Priyanka Ch ...
'', opposite
Umesh Kamat Umesh Kamat (born 12 December 1978) is an Indian actor and model, who predominantly works in Marathi-language regional films, television series, plays and TV commercials. Kamat has been recipient of Maharashtra State Film Awards for film Samar ...
and
Neelam Shirke Neelam Shirke is an actress of Marathi language television and Marathi cinema, known for her work in serials on Zee Marathi like ''Vadalvat'', ''Asambhav'' and ''Saheb, Bibi aani Mi''. She also works in Marathi theatre. Career She started her ...
. The series, based on the concept of
reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...
in Hindu culture, gained significant popularity and was later remade in Bengali and Kannada. Between 2009 and 2011, she appeared in the Marathi television series ''Gosht Eka Lagnachi'' and ''Vegh''.


Breakthrough and acclaim (2011–2017)

Kothare received widespread acclaim for her performance in Samruoddhi Porey's drama film ''
Mala Aai Vhhaychy! ''Mala Aai Vhhaychay!'' ( ''I Want to Be a Mother!'') is a 2011 Indian Marathi-language film produced and directed by Samruoddhi Porey. The story deals with rising surrogacy instances in India, where women are used as surrogates by foreigners. ...
'', in which she played a surrogate mother from the
Vidarbha region Vidarbha (Pronunciation: id̪əɾbʱə is a geographical region in the west Indian state of Maharashtra. Forming the eastern part of the state, it comprises Amravati and Nagpur divisions. As per the 2011 Census, the region had a population ...
of Maharashtra. The film, inspired by a real case encountered by Porey during her time as a practicing lawyer at the
Bombay High Court The High Court of Bombay is the High courts of India, high court of the States and union territories of India, states of Maharashtra and Goa in India, and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is seated primarily ...
, explored the growing phenomenon of surrogacy in India. A critical and commercial success, the film earned praise, Ulhas Shirke of ''Marathi Movie World'' wrote, “Kanetkar in the role of Yashoda, who impresses the most with her extraordinary acting skills. She had as many as four most difficult scenes, which only an experienced and matured actress would have done; but young Urmila performs with authority.” For her performance, she won the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar for Best Actress and received a nomination for Maharashtracha Favourite Kon in the Favourite Actress category, as well as the film also won the
National Film Award for Best Marathi Feature Film The National Film Award for Best Marathi Feature Film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Ka ...
. In the same year, she was seen opposite
Adinath Kothare Adinath Kothare (; born 13 May 1984) is an Indian actor and filmmaker who predominantly works in Marathi cinema. He has received several accolades, including a National Film Awards, National Film Award and a Maharashtra State Film Awards, Mahar ...
for the first time in Mahesh Kothare's action drama ''Dubhang'', which was notable for being the first Marathi film to utilize Dolby Digital 7.1 sound technology. Though the film received mixed reviews, the lead pairing was well received. Blessy Chettiar of ''
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
'' wrote, “The chemistry between the lead pair is the only saving grace of ''Dubhang'',” while Namita Nivas of ''
The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932 by P. Varadarajulu Naidu. It is headquartered in Noida, owned by the ''Indian Express Group''. It was later taken over by Ramnath Goenka. In 1999, eight y ...
'' commented, “Urmila is good as the understanding wife who loves her husband immensely and trusts him blindly.” Her performance earned her a second nomination for the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar. She also had a brief role in Viju Mane’s critically acclaimed drama ''Khel Mandala'', based on a father-daughter relationship. Ulhas Shirke of ''Marathi Movie World'' mentioned, “Urmila plays the committed TV News channel Journalist very effectively.” After a year-long gap, she returned to the screen in a supporting role in the coming-of-age romantic comedy ''
Duniyadari ''Duniyadari'' ( ''Worldliness'') is a 2013 Indian Marathi-language coming-of-age romantic comedy drama film directed by Sanjay Jadhav and produced by Deepak Rane under Dreaming 24/7 Productions. It is considered to be a cult film in Marathi ...
'' (2013), directed by
Sanjay Jadhav Sanjay Jadhav (born 18 July 1970) is an Indian cinematographer and a Marathi film director. Career Jadhav is an Indian cinematographer and film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dram ...
and based on the popular novel by late author
Suhas Shirvalkar Suhas Shirvalkar (15 November 1948 – 11 July 2003) was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India. He is known for his diverse literary works, which include social novels, detective stories, short stories, one-act plays, newspaper columns, and ...
. She portrayed the daughter of a police inspector who is initially targeted by the protagonist, Shreyas, as part of a revenge plan, but eventually becomes his love interest. Upon release, the film received widespread critical acclaim and became a major box office success, running for 50 weeks in theatres and earning ₹32 crore (US$3.8 million) worldwide. It went on to become the highest-grossing Marathi film of its time and later achieved cult status in Marathi cinema. Kothare’s performance was appreciated by critics—Keyur Seta of ''Marathi Stars'' noted that “Kanitkar gives a cute as well as mature performance,” whereas Ulhas Shirke wrote, “Though Urmila Kanitkar Kothare finds a limited role, she plays an important character in the film, displaying her emotions clearly.” Kothare won the ''Maharashtracha Favourite Kon'' Award for Favourite Supporting Actress for her performance. Next, she made her Telugu film debut in ''
Welcome Obama ''Welcome Obama'' is a 2013 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, who also composed the soundtrack. A remake of the Marathi film ''Mala Aai Vhhaychy!'' (2011), the film stars Urmila Kanetkar, Rachel and Esteban ...
'', the official remake of ''Mala Aai Vhhaychy!'', where she reprised her role of Yashoda from the original. The film received mixed reviews, though Kothare’s performance was singled out for praise. A critic from ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'' commented, “The acting is all over the top save Urmila, who stands out with a believable portrayal of a village woman.” In 2014, she had six releases, beginning with
Ravi Jadhav Ravindra Jadhav (born 22 September 1971) known professionally as Ravi Jadhav is an Indian film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. He made his directorial debut with the Marathi musical drama ''Natarang'' in 2010. Ravi studied in Sir J.J ...
’s romantic drama '' Timepass'', in which she appeared in a supporting role. Next, she starred opposite Adinath in
Gajendra Ahire Gajendra Vitthal Ahire is a National Award winner Indian film maker and screenwriter. He is noted for his work in Marathi cinema, theater, and television. He won the Silver Lotus Award at the 51st National Film Awards for his debut film ...
’s psychological thriller '' Anvatt'', marking their final on-screen collaboration. The duo portrayed a married couple who relocate to a remote village to honor the last wish of Vinay’s late grandfather. Their on-screen kissing scene also generated significant buzz and became a talking point upon the film’s release. The ''Times of India'' noted, “Urmila, who looks every bit the hassled wife torn between her faith in her husband and the fear of the unknown.” The film received critical acclaim, with both actors earning praise for their performances. She was also seen as a Lavani dancer in Laxman Utekar’s critically acclaimed drama ''Tapaal'', adding another memorable character to her diverse portfolio. Additionally, she starred opposite
Siddharth Chandekar Siddharth Chandekar (born 14 June 1991) is an Indian actor. He is known for his work in Marathi cinema. At the age of 18, he made his debut in Marathi cinema with Avadhoot Gupte's 2010 political drama movie ''Zenda (film), Zenda''. Career Chan ...
in the romantic drama ''
Baavare Prem He ''Baavare Prem He'' is an Indian Marathi language film directed and writer by Ajay Kishor Naik and produced by Nilesh Singh, Nimesh Desai and Virendra Chavan. The film stars Urmilla Kothare, Siddharth Chandekar and Vidyadhar Joshi. The film was ...
'', where her performance received praise from Mihir Bhanage of ''The Times of India'', who observed, “Urmila’s expressive eyes do half the work for her portrayal and the rest she does through her acting.” Her final release of the year was Jadhav’s '' Pyaar Vali Love Story'', where she appeared alongside
Swapnil Joshi Swapnil Joshi (Marathi pronunciation: ʋəpniːl d͡ʒoʃiː born 18 October 1977) is an Indian film and television actor, in Hindi and Marathi languages. At nine years old, he appeared in the Ramanand Sagar show '' Uttar Ramayan''. He has do ...
and
Sai Tamhankar Sai Tamhankar (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, əiː t̪aːmɦəɳkəɾ born 25 June 1986) is an Indian film and television actress known for her work primarily in Marathi language, Marathi, as well as in Hindi language, Hindi films. She h ...
. In the film, she played the outspoken yet endearing Nandini, a role that received considerable praise. Mihir Bhanage of ''The Times of India'' remarked, “It is Urmila’s foul-mouthed yet lovable and sensible Nandini that steals the show,” and Ulhas Shirke described her as the “scene-stealer” in the film’s first half. In 2015, she played the role of a wealthy young woman who falls in love with a dedicated but economically disadvantaged man in the period romantic drama ''
Kaakan Kaakan is a Marathi language movie released in 2015 directed by Kranti Redkar starring Jitendra Joshi and Urmila Kanitkar on lead roles. The movie can be watched on youtube for free. Plot The movie starts with some boys talking about an old ...
'', directed by actress
Kranti Redkar Kranti Redkar-Wankhede (née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire ...
in her directorial debut; however, their love remains unfulfilled due to class differences. The film was met with critical and audience acclaim. Mihir Bhanage of ''The Times of India'' stated, “Urmila, as always, does most of the work through her expressive eyes. She is the perfect person for the role; bubbly, childish yet caring and sensitive." Saumitra Pote of ''
Maharashtra Times ''Maharashtra Times'' (), colloquially referred to as 'Ma Ta' (मटा) from its Marathi initialism, is a Marathi newspaper based in Mumbai, India.https://www.mediawire.in/user/corporate/Maharashtra-Times992 It is one of the largest selling d ...
'' also appreciated the on-screen chemistry, noting, “The way they express each other through their eyes alone is amazing.” In the same year, she also appeared in brief roles in ''
Timepass 2 ''Timepass 2'' (abbreviated as ''TP2'') is a 2015 Indian Marathi-language film directed by Ravi Jadhav. It is the sequel to the 2014 film of the same name. It continues the incomplete lovestory of Dagadu (Rocky) and Prajakta (Praju). The film a ...
'', the sequel to ''Timepass'', and the dark comedy ''
Welcome Zindagi ''Welcome Zindagi'' (Marathi: वेलकम जिंदगी) is a Marathi language film. The film is a dark comedy about a girl who wants to end it all, and a boy who will change her perception of life. The movie is a dark comedy about life ...
''. For the latter, critic Keyur Seta of ''Marathi Stars'' remarked, “Kothare scores high in a difficult cameo.” The following year, she had only one release in the romantic action film ''
Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
'', opposite
Ankush Chaudhari Ankush Chaudhari (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ŋkuʃ t͡səu̯dʱəɾiː is an Indian film actor, screenwriter, Film director, director, Film producer, producer and theatre personality known for his works in Marathi cinema. A ...
, marking her third collaboration with director Sanjay Jadhav. Mihir Bhanage of ''The Times of India'' noted, “In a film that is entirely Ankush’s, Urmila holds fort and prevents herself from being just the glam-quotient of the film by making the most of her role.” The film had an average run at the box office. She had two major releases in 2017, the first being
Satish Rajwade Satish Rajwade (born 9 January 1973) is an Indian Marathi film and television director and writer. He has also acted in few Hindi films and Marathi television series. Career Rajwade started his career with acting in various Hindi and Marathi f ...
’s romantic drama '' Ti Saddhya Kay Karte'', in which she portrayed the wife of Anurag, played by Chaudhari. The film emerged as one of the most successful Marathi films of the year, earning worldwide. She once again worked in a film based on the concept of surrogacy, but this time portrayed a woman seeking a surrogate mother in the drama '' Karaar'', alongside
Subodh Bhave Subodh Bhave (born 9 November 1975) is an Indian actor, writer, producer and director who is known for his work in Marathi cinema. He has acted in many commercially successful and critically acclaimed Marathi movies. He is best known for his wo ...
and
Kranti Redkar Kranti Redkar-Wankhede (née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire ...
. The film received mixed reviews, but the lead performances were appreciated, Ganesh Matkari of ''
Pune Mirror ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest selling English-language daily i ...
'' wrote, "Out of the three main characters, Jayashree has the maximum screen time but the least impact, due to no fault of Urmila, who plays the part. The other two are stronger characters and represent two sides of the conflict." Around the same time, she also played the title role in ''Vitha'', a biographical film based on legendary tamasha dancer Vithabai Narayangaonkar, portraying her dedication, love, and struggle for the stage; however, the film remains unreleased.


Career fluctuation and television comeback (2018–present)

In 2018, she appeared opposite R. Madhavan in a small role as his wife in
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
’s crime thriller series '' Breathe''. She was next seen in 2021 in the murder mystery ''SIX'', where she portrayed a handicapped girl—one of the six suspects. The series premiered on Disney+ Hotstar as part of their Quix short-format series. In 2022, she appeared across all three major platforms. Her first release of the year was Abhijit Panse's thriller-mystery series '' RaanBaazaar''. One of the most anticipated shows of the year, it featured her in the role of an ambitious politician determined to rise to power by any means necessary—by hook or by crook. The same year, she once again reteamed with Planet Marathi OTT for the period horror series ''Athang''. Both series received rave reviews and went on to become some of the most successful Marathi web shows. Her next release was the
National Film Award The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
-winning family drama ''
Ekda Kaay Zala ''Ekda Kaay Zala'' (transl. Once upon a time) is a 2022 Marathi-language family drama film directed and produced by Saleel Kulkarni. The film stars Sumeet Raghavan as the titular character with Urmilla Kothare, Mohan Agashe, Pushkar Shrotri, ...
'', directed by
Saleel Kulkarni Saleel Kulkarni (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aliːl kulkəɾɳiː 6 October 1972) is a Marathi people, Marathi music composer, singer, author and Film director, director. Early life Saleel Kulkarni sang the Marathi Prose 'Jayostu ...
. The film revolves around a father who imparts life lessons to his son through stories and entertainment, with her playing a supportive wife and nurturing mother who often feels sidelined, yet harbors her own unspoken thoughts, desires, and emotional depth. While reviewers noted that her role was limited, they felt she did full justice to it. Jaideep Pathakji of ''Maharashtra Times'' commented, "Urmila plays her allotted role very honestly." ''
ABP News ABP News is an Indian Hindi-language free-to-air television news channel owned by ABP Group. Initially launched as Star News in 1998, it was later acquired by the ABP Group (ABP). It won the Best Hindi News Channel award in the 21st editi ...
'' critic Vinod Ghatge commented, “Kothare is as important as them both. She does the job of maintaining the balance of the film.” She was also nominated for the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar for Best Supporting Actress. Apart from this, she played
Siddharth Malhotra Sidharth Malhotra (; born 16 January 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He began his career as a fashion model, but left it to pursue acting as an assistant director to Karan Johar in ''My Name Is Khan'' (2010). He had his fir ...
's sister, who is burdened by guilt from their childhood, in
Indra Kumar Indra Kumar (born Indra Irani) is an Indian film director and producer. He had five Filmfare Awards, Filmfare nominations, has also appeared in number of Gujarati language, Gujarati-language films. His latest film produced is ''Thank God (film ...
's fantasy comedy '' Thank God'', marking her first Hindi film project. Ganesh Aaglave of ''
FirstPost Firstpost is an Indian news website owned by Network18 Group, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC TV18. It has posted misinformation on multiple occasions. The Network 18 group was originally owned by Raghav Bahl. In January 2012, the gro ...
'' stated, “Kothare wins our hearts with their superb act in limited screentime.” After twelve years, Kothare made her comeback on television with
Star Pravah Star Pravah is an Indian Marathi language general entertainment pay television channel owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. It primarily telecasts family dramas, comedies, reality shows and films. History ...
's ''
Tuzech Mi Geet Gaat Aahe ''Tuzech Mi Geet Gaat Aahe'' () is an Indian Marathi language television series directed by Kedar Vaidya. It premiered on 2 May 2022 on Star Pravah. It stars Avani Taywade, Abhijeet Khandkekar, Priya Marathe-Moghe and Urmila Kothare in lead r ...
'', a remake of the Bengali daily soap ''
Potol Kumar Gaanwala ''Potol Kumar Gaanwala'' () is an Indian musical Bengali television drama which premiered from 14 December 2015 aired on Star Jalsha. Potol Kumar Gaanwala replaced Ishti Kutum on 14 December 2015. The show starred Hiya Dey, Saheb Chatterjee, ...
'' (2017). She portrayed the love interest of a musician who chose music over their love, and who was pregnant during that time. The show was a superhit during its run. She next reunited with
Satish Rajwade Satish Rajwade (born 9 January 1973) is an Indian Marathi film and television director and writer. He has also acted in few Hindi films and Marathi television series. Career Rajwade started his career with acting in various Hindi and Marathi f ...
in the romantic drama film '' Autograph – Ek Japun Thevavi Ashi Lovestory'', co-starring Chaudhari, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Manasi Moghe. Originally slated for a theatrical release in December 2022, the film instead premiered directly on the Star Pravah television channel in May 2023 for reasons unknown. Her performance earned her nominations for Best Supporting Actress at both the
Fakt Marathi Cine Sanman The Fakt Marathi Cine Sanman are annual awards presented by the Fakt Marathi television network to honour both artistic and technical excellence in the Marathi-language film industry of India. The Awards were presented for the first time on 27 ...
and the Sanskruti Kaladarpan. She also made her Marathi stage debut with ''Filter Coffee'', a play written and directed by
Mahesh Manjrekar Mahesh Vaman Manjrekar (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, əɦeːʃ maːɲd͡zɾekəɾ born 16 August 1958) is an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, alongside Marathi language, ...
, in which she portrayed a painter who has lost interest in life after her husband's death but gradually falls in love with a charming and clever man.


Personal life

Urmilla and
Adinath Kothare Adinath Kothare (; born 13 May 1984) is an Indian actor and filmmaker who predominantly works in Marathi cinema. He has received several accolades, including a National Film Awards, National Film Award and a Maharashtra State Film Awards, Mahar ...
first met in 2006 during the making of the Marathi film ''Shubha Mangal Saavdhaan'', where he was working as an assistant director. In 2011, they both get married. In 2018, The couple welcoming their first baby daughter named Jija Kothare.


Other work

In 2016, Kothare started her classical dance academy named NitryaAsha in
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
.


Filmography


Films


Web series


Television


Theatre

* ''Filter Coffee'' (2025) – Anita (Anu)


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kanetkar, Urmila 1986 births Living people 21st-century Indian actresses Actresses in Marathi television Actresses in Hindi television Actresses in Marathi cinema Actresses in Telugu cinema Actresses from Pune Marathi actresses Actresses from Mumbai