Search engine giant Google has created a new Doodle on its homepage, celebrating the life of prolific Bengali language author Humayun Ahmed on the occasion of his 70th birth anniversary.
Humayun (13 November 1948 – 19 July 2012) was a Bangladeshi writer, dramatist, screenwriter, filmmaker, song writer, scholar, lecturer.
His breakthrough was his debut novel Nondito Noroke published in 1972. He wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh.
Humayun's writing style is characterised as magical realism. His books were the top sellers at the Ekushey Book Fair during the 1990s and 2000s.
He won the Bangla Academy Award and the Ekushey Padak award for his contribution to Bengali literature.
In the early 1990s, Humayun emerged as a filmmaker. He went on to make a total of eight films - each based on his own novels.
He received six Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films Daruchini Dwip, Aguner Poroshmoni and Ghetuputra Komola, reports UNB.
Humayun is often credited with revitalising Bengali literature.
His unique storytelling style captures the oral tradition and rhythm at the root of Bangla, bringing to life the stories and aspirations of traditional middle class and rural families.
A nature lover, Ahmed found refuge in his estate of Nuhash Polli, a wonderland he designed himself and where he collected statues, flora, and fauna from all over the world.
Today’s Doodle imagines Humayun at his estate, meeting with Himu, a much-loved character from his novels who preferred the life of a vagabond and walked everywhere!