Meher Afroz Shaon, wife of recently demised author-screenwriter-playwright-filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, recalls her memory with the legend in an interview with Dhaka Tribune.
Shaon, who had the opportunity to stay beside him on his last days, said she made arrangements to decorate Nuhashpolli with candles for celebrating the occasion.
How did Humayun prefer to celebrate his birthday?
I have seen him celebrate his birthday in four phases. First when I was just an actor for his productions, that time he used to celebrate his birthday on the set. The cast and the crew of his production and his family members used to celebrate the occasion together. In the second phase, when he started living alone at his Dokhin Hawa apartment, he preferred to be alone.
When he got married with me, he started celebrating his birthdays eventfully. Publishers, fans and friends started visiting him on his birthdays. After 2008, he celebrated the day attending film shows and book-fairs.
Sometimes, we felt like celebrating the day with family members only. But he never wanted to hurt people around him. He never wanted to disappoint his fans. Even then, I felt so good to see his fans.
Which was the most memorable of his birthdays?
I used to surprise him on his birthdays by doing something different. It could even be anything silly. Like, once I sang a song for him on his birthday and that was his gift.
But, the most memorable one was in 2005. It was his first birthday after our marriage. That time we were in Nuhashpolli for the shooting of Ure Jay Bokpokkhi. Without giving Humayun a hint, I asked our production manager to bring a truck of flowers. I wanted to cover Nuhashpolli’s floor with flowers. However, with one truck of flowers I could only cover the floor of our bed room. After packing up the shooting, he entered the room at 12:01am and became happy like a child.
How does it feel to live without Ahmed?
Without Humayun, my home is no more like a “home” to me. Though, I live here with the memories of him. The nights, when everything becomes silent, are the most terrible periods for me. No one can replace his absence in my life.
In our human life, we get our first shelter from parents, after marriage it’s the spouse who gives you support and when you become old, the children take care of you. But, in my case, when he left me, my children are not old enoughto hold my hands.
I have spent only 8 year family life with Humayun Ahmed. I had all the happiness with him which a woman can experience in her 50 years of conjugal life. But, yes, the happiness does not exist anymore.
What were Humayun Ahmed’s aspirations for the kids to be in future?
He always wanted his kids to learn by themselves. He wanted to let them decide whatever they want to be in future and let them experience the hardships of life. I follow his views and try to groom the children accordingly.
In which cases he was strict to the kids?
I have never seen him be rude with his kids. He was very friendly to his kids. He never said “No” to them. He was as friendly with Nishad as he was with Nuhash.
He was very friendly to other kids too. The kids of all his productions are really fond of him. The children used to call him “Sir Uncle.” Once some kids of one of his plays asked for pizza in the late night, and he managed to bring it from a five-star hotel and gave treats to them.
What are your favourite female characters of Humayun Ahmed’s creation?
There are off course many, but if I have to specify, I would name Kusum and Jori as my favourite characters. And as an actor, Kalakoytor’s Pagli was very close to my heart. I got a lot of freedoms to experiment with this character.
Is any female character of Humayun Ahmed is close to your character? Did Humayun’s female characters made any impact on your personality?
I never felt like, his characters are putting any impact on my personality. When I read his books, I find some similarities with the way I express some emotions of mine. Every writer takes writing materials from his surroundings. He never creates something from nowhere. Each character has some reality. Sometimes he acts like mind reader.
The creator of the characters himself put a lot impact on me, not his creations.
What is the utmost challenge now, to establish your own identity as an artiste or carry the legacy of Humayun Ahmed?
Now the utmost challenge for me is to be strong enough to raise my children. I have been broken many times. But, I have learned one thing, I have to stand beside my kids.
I quit acting when Humayun was alive. I even quit dancing. I used to sing only because my husband loved it. Now I’m only stick to directing works of Humayun Ahmed. I want to focus here only. I don’t know whether I will come back as an actor.