Uttam Kumar was outstanding and Shyamali became super hit due to brilliance of Ajoy Kar.

Kaberi Bose Shyamali Ajoy Kar, the classic director of 50s and 60s experimented with classic literature of Ashapurna Debi in the film Shyamali. It was a great risk and there was possibility of the viewers not accepting the film. The reasons were obvious. The literature was read by entire Bengali community of the country. The same story of Shyamali was played in Star Theatre in Kolkata for 4 years in the mid-50s. In the play Uttam Kumar and Sabitri Chatterji played the lead roles while Sarajubala Debi played the role of the mother of Uttam Kumar. Ajoy Kar picturised Shyamali in 1956 with the team of Uttam Kumar and Kaberi Bose. And Malina Debi played the role of the mother of Uttam Kumar. Previously it had been seen that any play which was successful with the audience did not do well when picturised in film. Shyamali was an exception. Kalipada Sen composed the music of the film. In the film Ahindra Choudhury had two daughters, Kaberi Bose being the elder one. Kaberi Bose was deaf and dumb. Her younger sister was proposed to be married to Uttam Kumar, but due to fulfillment of wishes of Kaberi Bose, the priest chanted mantras related to marriage with Uttam Kumar. Uttam Kumar accepted Kaberi Bose as wife while his friend married the younger sister Bijoli. Ahindra Choudhury wanted Uttam Kumar to marry Bijoli, but Uttam Kumar sacrificed his life for Shyamali saying that mantras were already chanted and marriage was done. But Uttam Kumar’s mother Malina Debi did not accept Kaberi Bose as her daughter-in-law. Uttam Kumar did not have any other option but to leave Kaberi Bose in her mother’s house. Uttam Kumar and Malina Debi went for pilgrimage to Hrishikesh, Badrinath, Kedarnath and brought Anubha Gupta who lost her parents and served Uttam Kumar when he became extremely sick whiling to travelling to those places. Malina Debi wanted to marry Uttam Kumar with Anubha Gupta. But Uttam Kumar tried to convince her that his wife Kaberi Bose was still alive. When Uttam Kumar heard that Kaberi Bose’s mother Aparna Debi died and she slept with the photo of Uttam Kumar, he went to her house and brought her back. Uttam Kumar finally convinced Malina Debi that although Kaberi Bose could not speak, she could react to human actions, had a human mind full of feelings. She required her blessings to start a journey in the new family. Uttam Kumar was matchless in the film. The compassionate that he showed towards a deaf and dumb girl was not possible for any other actor. The script of the film was outstanding written by Nitai Bhattacharya and Hiren Nag. The film became super hit due to sheer brilliance of Ajoy Kar. Uttam Kumar, Kaberi Bose, Malina Debi, Anubha Gupta were all sublime in their respective roles. Malina Debi in fact outcast Sarajubala Debi who was a phenomenon in Bengali stage. The film should be restored to remind the viewers about a successful play being remade into film which featured the same level of excellence as depicted in the play.