"He was as eccentric as he was intelligent"

When a great being passes over from this world to the next, he leaves behind memories and laughter for loved ones. In our contemporary society, few have been celebrated in their lifetime and in death the way Humayun Ahmed has been, his work resonating within generations old and new. The late litterateur has left a marked impact on his readers whose numbers are vast, but he has left with loved ones intimate memories. Noted actress Sara Zaker shares with The Daily Star some of her encounters with the writer, and reminisces of their friendship, on his 68th birth anniversary.

What was your first encounter with the litterateur like?

Sara Zaker: It was many years ago, when he returned to Bangladesh from abroad. I believe we were all at a gathering at Murshed sir's house then. After that, we met each other many times through work.

After that, what sorts of work were you involved with him?

Sara Zaker: I respect and admire his work greatly, particularly his scripts. He also had an eye out for talent and would cast those that he feels would carry out the role with justice. He probably didn't think very highly of me as an actor, or maybe he didn't find me suitable for the characters he wrote, except of course for “Ayomoy”; maybe he found me suitable for a period drama. We worked together many times on mediums other than acting; he wrote for our productions of “Sobuj Chhaya” and “Sobuj Chhata” (TV dramas for promotional awareness on health).

What is your most significant memory of him?

Sara Zaker: I have many fond memories of him. He was as eccentric a man as he was intelligent. He loved being around people, especially his friends. He came to our flat one day, at a time when both my children were abroad for studies. “Why don't you adopt me?” he said, “You have so much room in your house!” On another evening at a dinner party, after everyone had eaten, he made everyone score the cooking out of 10, and then insisted on measuring everyone's blood sugar levels. Then it was found that one of our friends, a publisher named Mozammel, had highly elevated sugar levels! This was the kind of man he was, always joking around and lifting everyone's spirits.