Ujala brought initial success for Shammi Kapoor.

Shammi kapoor had a rough start to his bollywood career. In 1953 his film Jeevan Jyoti flopped. After that more or less 15 films flopped between 1953 to 1957. He made an impact with the film Tumsa Nahi Dekha in 1957. After that Ujala in 1959 was a film which did good business. Naresh Saigal directed the film. F. C. Mehra produced the film. In the film Shammi Kapoor tried to live his life in an honest manner. He was the son of Leela Chitnis. He had a sister of marriageable age and a number of small brothers and sisters. He did manual work at the beginning. But when his small sister died in a road accident, he could not save her due to non-availability of funds required to pay the hospital. Mala Sinha was the friend of Shammi Kapoor in the film. Raj Kumar played the role of a gangster in the film who gave offer to Shammi Kapoor to work in his gang. He did a number of illegal activities like theft, pick-pocketing. Dhumad was also in his gang. Shammi Kapoor could not even pay the moneylender and joined his group. But Raj Kumar killed one of his gang member and warned Shammi Kapoor not to let anyone know about it. Then Shammi Kapoor worked in a shop-keeper’s shop. He collected funds to contribute in his sisters’ marriage. He met a sadhu in an ashram who showed him the right path of life. At the end of the film Shammi Kapoor fought against Raj Kumar. Raj Kumar stabbed him but was caught by the police. Shammi Kapoor recovered after being hospitalized. He learned that the right of life could only bring peace and prosperity. Raj Kumar acted very well in the role of a anti-social element. Mala Sinha did well opposite Shammi Kapoor. Dhumad, Kumkum and Leela Chitnis did well. Shankar Jaikishan composed the music in Shammi Kapoor’s film for the first time in Ujala. Manna Dey’s song “jhoomta mausam mast mahina, yaala yaala dil legai” became hit. Later on Shankar Jaikishan and Shammi Kapoor combination blossomed in the 1960s, and Shankar Jaikishan composed music in 22 films of Shammi Kapoor. Some of the best music of 1960s included the music of Shankar Jaikishan in films of Shammi Kapoor like Junglee, Janwar, Laat Sahab, Brahmchari, Professor, An Evening in Paris, to name a few. Although Ujala did not rule the box-office the way Raj Kapoor’s Anari did in 1959 or Dilip Kumar’s Paigham did. But Ujala was a hit film and paved way for Shammi Kapoor’s hit career in the following years. The film should be restored.