In 1938 he attend an adult school in Bandung, and then became a civil servant. After the independence of Indonesia in 1945, he successively worked for National Broadcasting Station and Books Compilation & Translation Bureau. He lived abroad after 1965.
Utuy initially wrote in Sundanese, but under the Japanese rule during World War 2 he started writing in the Indonesian language.
His first play Suling (1948) describes the Indonesian fight for independence. The second play Bunga Rumah Makan (1948) tell a story of a hotel waitress yearning for freedom and not willing to tender mercies.
His historical novel Tambera (1948) concerns with the anti-Dutch struggle in the late 16th century and early 17th century. After the transfer of sovereignty, Utuy was quite disappointed with the social reality.
His short story collection Orang-orang Sial (1951) mainly expresses tragic fate of the little people and corruption of the officialdom.
His other plays comprise Di Langit Ada Bintang (1955), Sang Kuriang: opera dua babak (1955), Si Kabajan: komedi dua babak (1959), Tak Pernah Mendjadi Tua (1963), Manusia Kota: empat buah drama (1961) et cetera
In 1959 he joined the People"s Culture Association, and became a member of its central committee.