When Deepti was offered the role of “Kamla” she rejected it outright, because she was more interested in the role of the journalist’s wife, (to be played by Shabana,) and also because she felt that “Kamla” the character had nothing to do in the film.

SUNDAY OBSERVER - JAN 26, 1985
A stunning persona transformation by Deepti Naval to get under Kamla’s skin, is among the film’s highlights.

ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY - JAN 1984
A fantabulous performance by poetess Deepti Naval. Despite all the punch lines falling in her lap, Shabana Azmi for once yields ground to her one-time protégé.

ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY - MAR 3, 1985
Great performances by Shabana Azmi and Deepti Naval, both matching each other in their histrionic abilities. I always knew Shabana was a great actress. But Deepti;s performance took me by storm. As the young adivasi girl, Kamla, her slightest mistake could have destroyed the entire creditability of the role. But she carried it off with supreme confidence. In fact, sheer élan.

SCREEN - FEB 1, 1985
Deepti Naval runs away with the honours by her sheer, perfectly credible presence, no small feat when pitted against Shabana Azmi as the wife whose bonds are beginning to hurt.

FREE PRESS JOURNAL - FEB 1, 1985
At last the much awaited ‘Kamla’ has been released. For once, Shabana has to concede being ‘eclipsed’ by Deepti Naval Jha’s award worthy portrayal.

FREE PRESS JOURNAL - JAN 26, 1985
The performance of Shabana Azmi (Sarita) and Deepti Naval (Kamla) are outstanding.

INDIAN EXPRESS -JAN 26, 1985
Mundhara is to be complimented on getting two credible – perhaps notable – performances form Deepti Naval and Marc Zuber – whose talents have so far been pretty well concealed.
Deepti conveys fear, hope and devotion to the master in a genuine and spontaneous fashion.

FREE PRESS BULLETEIN - FEB, 1985
And while the pseudo-intellectual film critics are trying to poke holes in a film as excellent as Kamla, Deepti Naval is laughing all the way to the bank. There is nothing but praise for her performance. People are saying that she’s eclipsed Shabana and she is being flooded with offers from producers who’ve suddenly realized her undisputed acting talent.

KAMLA REVIEW - OCT 1984
Deepti Naval is marvelous as the frightened young Kamla, who Jai Singh merely uses to get a story and enhance his career prospects.

NEWS TIME, HYDERABAD – JAN 6, 1985
So far, debate on artistic achievement has revolved around the fab four: Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Smita Patil. But this year will see the happy addition of some other versatile performers to this clique. With fine performances in Jagmohan Mundhra’s Kamla and Buddhadeb Das Gupta’s Andhi Galli, Deepti Naval is bound for the paths of glory. The most under-estimated actress around, Naval has certainly grown in stature this past year and can really turn on the creative juices with pizzazz.

EVENING NEWS OF INDIA - JAN 1985
Deepti Naval seems to have stepped into Shabana’s and Smita’s roles. Five of her films, two with major lead roles (Ankahee, Andhi Gali) have been invited to the Golden Panorama next year. There is also Kamla, the Tendulkar-written, Mundhra-directed film about journalist’s experiments with truth. At the moment in bit of legal trouble, the film is worth looking forward to for an outstanding performance by Deepti Naval who is shaping into a fine actress( as during the year, is going to be a unique cinematic experience.

TELEGRAPH - MAY 24, 1985
Shabana, Deepti and Sulabha Deshpande put in arresting performances even if the others ought to be arrested for their performances.

TIMES OF INDIA - JAN 26, 1985
Deepti Naval is called to widen her eyes, tremble like a scared rabbit and drop pearly smiles. To her credit, she performs these chores competently.

WOMAN’S ERA - APRIL 1985
Deepti Naval as Kamla is good, especially when she asks the wife how much the master had paid for her. Deepti have come up with convincing performance.

EVENING NEWS OF INDIA - DEC 15, 1983
Deepti Naval is so obsessed with her role in “Kamla” that she endangered her health to look right for it. Before the commencement of the shooting, she tried to get a tan so that she would look like a poor tribal woman. All those hours in the sun only gave her a sun-stroke and she had to spend a week at home to recuperate.