As a playwright Humayun Ahmed introduced a new trend in teleplays and TV series by creating realistic narratives, practical characters
and witty dialogues in the early 1980s.
Humayun’s teleplays and series such as Ei Sab Din Ratri, Kothao Keo Nei, Ayomoy, Bahubrihi, Esho Nipo Bon-e and Janoni aired during the 80s on the state run channel Bangladesh Television appeared as the most popular entertainment for the urban city dwellers.
He had the ability to cast a spell on the audience in such a manner that the masses made processions demanding a change in the script of Kothao Keo Nei just to save the life of the play’s protagonist Baker Bhai, who was supposed to get a death sentence for murder. It was unprecedented.
None could create such a magical power again on the viewers afterwards.
Though Ahmed continued writing teleplays and serials till his death, the magic of his teleplays lost its grandeur, to some extent, in terms of popularity since the introduction of the satellite TV channels in 1990s.
Explaining the reason Ahmed’s peers believe that the taste of the viewers changed after the introduction of satellite channels.
They also believe that Humayun Ahmed himself ‘could not pay much attention’ to his writings as he gave efforts to some other fields of creativity.
‘Humayun Ahmed became a household name as he could completely change the set pattern of the teleplays and serials that used to be aired on BTV. The audience found fresh air in his ability of creating characters and dialogues very familiar to them and his wonderful skill of creating humourous twists as well,’ renowned actor Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, who enacted the role of Baker Bhai in Kothao Keo Nei and several other major characters, told New Age.
‘His plays are very well crafted in terms of storyline, dialogue diction and structure, which helped an actor a lot to articulate a character. More importantly, he could read the pulse of the people,’ Noor added.
Ahmed’s magic deemed after 1990s. Ahmed’s peers believe that not only Humayun Ahmed but the state run channel BTV in general faced a huge challenge after introduction of the local and foreign satellite channels in the country.
‘Watching teleplays no longer remains in the daily routine of the urbanites these days as it was till 1980s when people had very limited choice. Expectation level of the viewers rose higher and taste of the audience also changed a lot. As a result, the viewers shifted their focus even from a master writer like Humahun Ahmed,’ said seasoned actress Lucky Enam, who acted in several plays of Humayun Ahmed since his debut writing Prothom Prahor in the late 1970s.
‘It’s also true that he changed his priority from writing to other creative activities like filmmaking and directing plays. Moreover, we used to work as a team in Humayun’s plays. And everybody enthusiastically contributed from pre-scripting stage till the end of the production. This team broke down in the 1990s as Ahmed became centered in Nuhash Palli in Gazipur,’ she added.
Besides, the new trend that began at the introduction of the package drama programmes on TV channels also had impact on Humayun Ahmed.
Explaining the difference between the pre and post satellite culture in the country and its impact on Ahmed as a playwright Nawazish Ali Khan , the programme advisor of ATN Bangla, said, ‘Despite the fact that 25 local channels are airing hundreds of teleplays these days, people can hardly remember names of those. It happened due to over-commercialised mentality of the people involved with.’
‘In our days there was no lack of commitment and technical knowledge required for making good productions. We were a bit workaholic and had the urge to make something good. So, people still remember our works,’ said Khan, who directed Humayun Ahmed’s first teleplay Prothom Prahor and several other popular serials such as Ayomoy, and Bahubrihi as the producer of BTV.
‘Even in the volatile market, Humayun Ahmed’s popularity was not lost. But, It’s also true that he also lost his passion and became a bit commercially motivated while writing plays after 1990s. He also became a bit monotonous seasoned actor Abul Hayat, who acted about two decades in Humayun Ahmed’s plays, said.
Still, his peers believe that Ahmed as a playwright was unparallel and he could create a group of followers and he still remains as the most popular writer and playwright.
-With New Age input
