REMEMBERING A MENTOR: 10 YEARS ON
It has been ten years since the passing of Late Hon. Uz. Abdulla Hameed — a man who forever changed the course of my life. Today, as I reflect, I realize just how much I owe him — not just as a writer, but as a person.
When I first set foot into the film industry, I had already given up. Disillusioned, frustrated, I thought my journey was over before it had even begun. And when I was later transferred to Ministry of Atolls Administration, where he served as minister, that sense of defeat still weighed heavily on me. But he wouldn’t allow it. He saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself.
At the time, the TVM Office Drama Competition was one of the most celebrated events every Ramadan. Atolls had participated the year before I joined, but the reviews were harsh. Instead of stepping back, he entrusted me with producing the next drama. He gave me complete creative freedom, and more importantly, he told everyone around me to support me fully.
That year, Atolls won Best Drama and Best Actress. In the four years that followed, we went on to win 12 awards in total, including two more Best Drama titles. Through it all, he ensured my cast and crew were treated with dignity and care. Those years became the most formative of my career. I experimented, I grew, and I found my voice again. Most importantly, my faith in storytelling was restored.
One night, during a celebration, he said something that has stayed with me ever since: “He is a gem that Atolls has.” I carry those words like a torch. Whenever I stumble or doubt myself, they remind me to rise to the faith he placed in me.
Ten years on, I still feel his presence in the path I walk. I am forever indebted to him. His kindness, vision, and unwavering belief in people like me continue to live through the stories we tell.
May Allah bless his soul.
Mahdi Ahmed 
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