During high school, he became interested in creative writing and acting, eventually joining the Senen Artists' Group.

His son, Sri Aksana, is the former drummer of Dewa 19, and his daughter Djenar Maesa Ayu is also a Citra Award-winning director.

[4] During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies from 1942 to 1945, he witnessed several forced labourers being beaten to death near his home during the construction of Kemayoran Airport.

That same year, his short story "Kerontjong Kemajoran" ("Keroncong from Kemayoran") was adapted into a film by the production company Persari under the title Saodah.

The following year, another of Sjumandjaja's short stories, "Anakku Sajang" ("My Dear Child") was adapted by the company; he took on the role of assistant director for the film.

[4] His submission, Bajangan (Shadows), a film based on a story by Erskine Caldwell, was a 25-minute-long black-and-white profile of a woman waiting for her grandson.

[6][9] On 25 December 1978, Sjumandjaja announced his return with a new film, Kabut Sutra Ungu (Mist of Purple Silk), an adaptation of the novel by Ike Soepomo.

[7] After suffering from a heart attack during prayer at Soepomo's home on 19 July 1985, Sjumandjaja was brought to Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta.

[11] According to producer Manoo Sukmajaya, Sjumandjaja would refuse to accept a directing offer if he found the script uninteresting, valuing creative worth over the director's fee.

These works included Mikhail Kalatozov's Letyat Zhuravli (The Cranes Are Flying; 1957), Grigori Chukhrai's Sorok Pervyy (The Forty-First; 1956), and Ballada o Soldate (Ballad of a Soldier; 1959).

[7] His works have also been classified as social realism, with films such as Si Mamad and Atheis reflecting issues relevant to modern society.

He also used references to well-known cultural works; a scene in Kartini was framed so to reflect Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.

After divorcing Utoyo, Sjumandjaja married actress Tuti Kirana before the release of Si Doel Anak Betawi.

[6] In 1973 the couple had a daughter, Djenar Maesa Ayu, who later became a writer-cum-director and won a Citra Award for her debut film Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet!