Sujata (1959 film)

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Sujata
Sujatafilm.jpg
Directed by Bimal Roy
Written by Nabendu Ghosh (screenplay)
Subodh Ghosh (story)
Paul Mahendra (dialogue)
Produced byBimal Roy
Starring Nutan
Sunil Dutt
Shashikala
Cinematography Kamal Bose
Edited by Amit Bose
Music by S. D. Burman
Release date
  • 20 March 1959 (1959-03-20)
Running time
145 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Sujata is a 1959 Hindi language Bimal Roy film. It stars Nutan and Sunil Dutt in lead roles, supported by Shashikala, Lalita Pawar, Sulochana Latkar and Tarun Bose. Based on a Bengali short story of the same name by writer Subodh Ghosh, [1] the film explored the situation of caste in India. [2] The music is by S. D. Burman and the lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. [3] It was entered into the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. [4]

Contents

Plot

Sujata is a romance between a Brahmin young man, Adheer and an untouchable woman, Sujata. It's also a story of the intense emotional conflict a mother faces in fully accepting an adopted daughter. The film has Mahatma Gandhi's fight against untouchability and the myth of Chandalika in Hinduism as its subtexts, based on which it tries to criticize the practice of untouchability in India.

Brahmin couple, Upen and Charu bring up an orphaned child and name her Sujata. Although Upen is fond of the adopted child, his wife Charu and Aunt (Adheer's mother) can never fully embrace Sujata because she was born in an untouchable's family. They keep hinting to Sujata at times that she doesn't belong amongst Brahmins. Adheer falls in love with Sujata but Charu and Aunt want Adheer to marry Charu's real daughter Rama. Sujata also admires Adheer but finding her reality of being untouchable by birth feels uncomfortable. One day, Upen's wife falls down the stairs and is rushed to the hospital. The doctors tell the family that to save Charu, they need the rare group of blood. Only Sujata's blood matches and she willingly donates blood. When Charu become aware that her life was saved by Sujata, she realizes her mistake and accepts her as her daughter. Sujata and Adheer are then married happily by everyone's consent.

Cast

Awards

Soundtrack

SongSinger
"Suno Mere Bandhu Re" S. D. Burman
"Jalte Hain Jiske Liye" [10] Talat Mahmood
"Kali Ghata Chhaye" Asha Bhosle
"Tum Jeeo Hazaaron Saal"Asha Bhosle
"Bachpan Ke Din Bhi Kya Din The, Udte Phirte Titli Banke"Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt
"Nanhi Kali Sone Chali"Geeta Dutt
"Wah Bhai Wah" Mohammed Rafi

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References

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  3. "Asha Bhosle dedicates 'Sujata' song to her didi Lata Mangeshkar : The Tribune India".
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  9. "7th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals . Retrieved 4 September 2011.
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