NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Humayun Ahmed

Humayun Ahmed (Bangla: হুমায়ূন আহেমদ) (born 1948) is the most famous contemporary Bengali fictionist and playwright who has been writing for over thirty five years. Formerly a professor of Applied Chemistry at the University of Dhaka, he is now a full time author and movie-maker.
Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the Bengali language. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Chemistry (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Introduction

Towards the end of 20th century, Humayun Ahmed emerged as the most popular novelist and story-writer of Bengali literature since Sharatchandra Chottopadhya. At least for the last two decades, Humayun Ahmed's books are topping the best sellers list by a big margin^[1]. He has also achieved unparallel success as a playwright writing screenplays for television drama. In early 1990s, he entered the movie-world and proved to be a successful filmmaker in spite of clear departure from traditional Bangladshi movies. Although his novels and stories frequently build around urban middle-class life, his focus on rural Bangladesh not negligible at all.
Humayun Ahmed often shows a fascination for creating stories around supernatural events. Also, he is already considered the father of modern Bengali science fiction having to his credit a number of science fiction books that he has published since 1980s. As an author, he essentially belongs to the genre whose style is characterized by magic realism^[2] In a popular survey conducted by the BBC, Humayun Ahmed was elected as one of the ten ‘best’ living Bengalis. The first evidence of Bengali literature is known as Charyapada or Charyageeti, which were Buddhist hymns from the 8th century. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Bengali or Bangla (IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit, PÄli and Sanskrit languages. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Magic realism (or magical realism) is an artistic genre in which magical elements appear in an otherwise realistic setting. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

Family and Background

Humayun Ahmed was born in 1948 in Kutubpur, Mymensingh. It is through him that the colloquial language of rural Mymensingh found a permanent seat in Bengali literature. His father Foyzur Rahman, a police officer and literature aficionado, was killed by the Pakistani army during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.^{[citation needed]} Small wonder that the behaviour and attitude of police officers of Bangladesh often feature in his stories and novels. Ahmed's younger brother Muhammad Zafar Iqbal who is a university professor is also a writer of children's books and science fiction ^[3]. Recently Iqbal has also earned reputation as a newspaper columnist and a human rights activist. Their brother, Ahsan Habib, is the editor of `Unmad' and a cartoonist as well as popular writer. Humayun Ahmed married Gultekin in 1973 who gave him five children. They divorced in 2005 as Humayun Ahmed decided to marry Shaon, a young actress, who has appeared in a number of his TV dramas and movies since early 1990s. The affair with Shaon since mid-1990s, eventually culminating in wedlock, fetched Humayun Ahmed a huge criticism from the people, specially the womenfolk of the country. Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mymensingh (Bengali: ) town is one of the Pourashovas (City) of Bangladesh situated at the centre of Mymensingh District. ... Muhammed Zafar Iqbal on a picnic day in 2001 with his students. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Education and Teaching Career

Humayun Ahmed attended Chittagong Collegiate School and Bogra Zilla School for his secondary education. Receiving excellent scores in both his Secondary School Certificate (S.S.C.) and Higher Secondary Certificate (H.S.C.) examinations, he then obtained second position in combined merit list in H.S.C. from Dhaka Board. After graduating from the University of Dhaka with excellent grades, Humayun Ahmed joined the department of chemistry in the same university as a lecturer. He obtained a PhD. in polymer chemistry from the North Dakota State University. Professor Dr. Humayun Ahmed retired from the Department of Chemistry of the University of Dhaka for the sake of writing and film-making (according to his novel Chobi Bananor Galpo). He is also an honorary fellow in writing at the University of Iowa. Chittagong Collegiate School The Chittagong Collegiate School is a notable secondary school in Chittagong, the southern port city in Bangladesh. ... Dhaka (previously Dacca; Bengali: á¸ŒhÄkÄ; IPA: ) is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ... Polymer chemistry or macromolecular chemistry is a multidisciplinary science that deals with the chemical synthesis and chemical properties of polymers or macromolecules. ... North Dakota State University (NDSU) is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S. It is the second largest school in the eleven campus North Dakota University System. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The University of Iowa, also commonly called Iowa or locally UI, is a major coeducational research university located on a 1,900 acre (8 kmÂ²) campus in Iowa City, Iowa, US, on the banks of the Iowa River in East Central Iowa. ...

Literature

Humayun Ahmed had a meteoric rise in Bangla literature. His first novel, Nondito Noroke (tr: In blissful Hell by Mohammad Nurul Huda), written while he was still a student of University of Dhaka, gained immediate popularity and critical acclaim. Equally successful was his second novel, Shankhanil Karagar (tr: The Conch-blue Prison), later made into a successful film by Nasiruddin Yusuf. Humayun Ahmed went on to become one of the most prolific writers in Bengali literature, having published around one hundred and fifty novels to date. This article is about the Bengali language. ... Mohammad Nurul Huda (Bengali: ), (1949) is a Bangladeshi poet, famous novelist. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Along with his more traditional novels and short stories, Humayun Ahmed is often credited with creating or maturing many literary genres in Bangladesh. The rise of Bengali science fiction can almost solely be attributed to Humayun Ahmed and Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, his younger brother. A genre [], (French: kind or sort from Greek: Î³ÎÎ½Î¿Ï‚ (genos)) is a loose set of criteria for a category of literary composition; the term is also used for any other form of art or utterance. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Muhammed Zafar Iqbal on a picnic day in 2001 with his students. ...

His contribution to the comic genre is also considerable. His televised drama Bohubrihi was one of the most successful productions of the national TV of the country called Bangladesh Television. Its characters are still household names twenty years later. The drama combined a subtle, comic wit with a social message—as did his successful comic essay collection Elebele. Humayun Ahmed later developed Bohubrihi into a novel.

Though set in the realities of middle class life, Humayun Ahmed's works display a particular penchant for the mysterious and unexplained. He himself and his literature are often referred to as "moon-struck", and references to the full moon in his prose are numerous. In almost every one of Ahmed's novels, there is at least one character who possesses an extraordinary milk of kindness—a characteristic of Humayun Ahmed’s writing. He creates funny characters through which he reveals social realities and passes on his message.

Liberation war related writings

Another recurring theme in Ahmed's literature is the liberation war, which affected him deeply. His father was executed by the Pakistan Army during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. He, along with his mother and siblings, had to hide to survive. Humayun Ahmed has written a play named 1971, several novels like Aguner Parashmoni (The Touchstone of Fire), Shyamal Chhaya (Green Shadows) and a recent novel named Jochhna O Jananir Galpo (The Tale of Moonlight and the Mother) based on the Liberation War. The novel Jochhna O Jananir Galpo has already received huge popularity and critical acclaim. His comic novel Bahubrihi ends with the character named Farid training parrots to say Tui Rajakar (you are a traitor), with the goal of sending these parrots to Bangladeshi collaborators during the war, and this gained a huge popularity among the people of Bangladesh. The Pakistan Army (Urdu: Ù¾Ø§Ú© ÙÙˆØ¬) is the largest branch of the Pakistan military, and is mainly responsible for protection of the state borders, the security of administered territories and defending the national interests of Pakistan within the framework of its international obligations. ... Combatants Mukti Bahini India Pakistan Commanders Col. ...

Academic Writings

Dr. Humayun Ahmed wrote a notable book on 'quantum chemistry'. This book is named as "Quantum Rosayon". In this book he has represented the complicated theories of quantum chemistry. While scientific themes often occur in his stories, Humayun Ahmed sacrificed academic pursuit in favour of creative writing.

Television and film

Humayun Ahmed has transformed himself into a prominent film and television personality. His first television drama, "Ei Shob Din Ratri" (Story of our lives), gained popularity in the mid eighties. He followed this with the comedy series "Bohubrihi", the historical drama series "Ayomoy", and the urban drama series "Kothao Keu Nei" (There is not anybody in anywhere). The last featured an idealistic gang leader named Baker Bhai, who is wrongly convicted, and executed. Baker Bhai became such a popular character that before the last segment was aired, people across the country brought out processions protesting his death. Public prayers and death anniversaries have been arranged for this fictional character.

Ahmed explored the film industry both as an author and director. He directs films based on his own stories. His first film, "Aguner Parashmoni", based on the Bangladesh Liberation War, received critical acclaim and won the National Film Award in eight categories, including Best Picture and Best Director. The theme of the Liberation War often comes across in his stories, often drawing upon Ahmed's in-depth memories of that war.
Combatants Mukti Bahini India Pakistan Commanders Col. ...

Ahmed's film Shyamal Chhaya received an Oscar nomination for best foreign language film. It was an entertaining moview with a storyline around the war of liberaiton war of 1971. The movie portrayed a realistic picture of the liberation war without malice and without offending anyone. Shaymol Chhaya is a captivating movie. In our polarised world where portraying practising Muslims negatively can bring international accolade very easily, Humayun Ahmed didn't take advantage of the situation, instead of exploiting that sick anti-Muslim sentiment, he preferred to illustrate a story that seemed very close to reality ^[4].

Literary Style

Until recently Bengali fiction has largely been dominated by the works and style of Bengali writers from the West Bengal. Humayun Ahmed has distinguished himself with a unique literary diction that is unprecedented. His prose style is lucid and he resorts to dialogue rather than narration. As a result his demand for space is limited and the text is compact. He heavily depends on the characters he creates and he has unparallel skill in portraying a character with a very few sentences. He has proved capable of portraying rural as well as urban life with equal expertise. Frequently, he captures contemporary issues in his writings from a different angle. He is an optimist and prone to focus light on the positive aspects of a person or an event even it essentially carries negative connotation. His portrayal of a hooligan or a prostitute is evidently non-judgmental. His human touch to stories hugely appeals to emotional Bengali psychology. His storylines often blend reality with supernatural episodes. This blend is subtle while hugely convincing. He does not sit to write a story to pass on a message. However, they never fail to pass the message of goodness, beauty and fellow-feeling, among others. He has never resorted to eroticism or vulgarism to appeal to immature readership. In the contemporary literary world, perhaps none exists today who writes as spontaneously as Humayun Ahmed^[5]

Criticism

Humayun Ahmed has received considerable criticism from the literary critics of the country. One of the most common one leveled against him is that the quality of his work has deteriorated after he gained popularity and started writing for money at the request of his publishers ^[6]. His brother Muhammed Zafar Iqbal once said "Humayun Ahmed has a great camera, but he only takes picture of birthday parties", referring to his brilliant prose but allegedly trivial subject matters. The main criticism was that he was repeating the same theme and structure time and again for decades^[7]. However, from 2003, he is writing more serious and information-containing novels. Muhammed Zafar Iqbal on a picnic day in 2001 with his students. ...

Some also criticize his decision to resign as a Professor of University of Dhaka to become a full time writer/film director. But as he is considered as one of the most popular Bengali writers, his career as a professor of chemistry is blurred and he claimed that needed more time to write and direct movies in the black era of Bangla films.
This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between India and Bangladesh) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating back four millennia. ...

His divorce from his first wife Gultekin and subsequent marriage to a young actress Shaon who was a friend of his daughter Shila caused a much-publicized scandal in 2005. During the four-year-long separation from his wife before divorce, his writing career and personal life was seriously hampered. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Awards

Bangla Academy Award is a literary award given by the Bangla Academy, Bangladesh. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ...

Works

Selected Novels

For other uses, see Man on Fire. ... One of the most popular drama serial ever aired on Bangladesh Television. ...

Books on Liberation War

Misir Ali Books

Misir Ali, the character of Humayun Ahmed, a very intelligent lonely professor of Psychology of the University of Dhaka unveils secrets. Misir Ali, is a very popular fictional character created by Bangladeshi writer Humayun Ahmed. ... Psychological science redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Himu

Himu is the popular fiction novel character created by famous Bangladeshi writer Humayun Ahmed in his novels. ...

Comedy

Science Fiction

Supernatural

Satire

Scientific Writings

Poems

Collections

Filmography (as Director)

Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shyamol Chhaya is a 2004 film by Humayun Ahmed starring Shaon, Riaz, Shadhin Khasru, Faruk and many more. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Television Drama

Books in in English translation

References

^ Shamim Ahsan : ‘A Grand Convergence of Minds’, The Daily Star, Vol. 1, No. 142, 2004, Dhaka
^ Faizul Latif Chowdhury (2007), Review of Lilaboti, Prothom Alo, Dhaka.
^ Shamim Ahsan : Igniting Children's Imagination, The Daily Star, Vol. 1, No. 112, 2003, Dhaka
^ Mirza, 'Kudos to Humayun Ahmed', The Daily Star, 10 december 2004, Dhaka.
^ Chowdhury, F. L. Humayun Ahmed : A Short Introduciton, Desh Prokshan, 2006, Dhaka.
^ Rubaiyat Hossain : 'Bad girls and middle-class morality', The Daily Star, May 2007, Dhaka
^ Chowdhury, F. L. Humayun Ahmed - Time for a Change', Ditiyo Chinta, 1992, Mymensingh

External links

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