Sujata

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 with everyone's blessings.

Cast

Nutan as Sujata

Sunil Dutt as Adhir

Shashikala as Rama Chowdhury

Lalita Pawar as Giribala

Tarun Bose as Upendranath Chowdhury

Sulochana Latkar as Charumati Chowdhury

Asit Sen as Pandit Bhavani Shankar Sharma

Cuckoo Moray as Rama's friend singing the song "Tum Jeeoo Hazaaron Saal"

Awards

Golden Palm - Cannes Film Festival - Nominated

7th Filmfare Awards:

Filmfare Best Movie Award - Bimal Roy - Won

Filmfare Best Director Award - Bimal Roy - Won

Filmfare Best Actress Award - Nutan - Won

Filmfare Best Story Award - Subodh Ghosh - Won

National Film Awards (1959) All India Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film