Today’s Doodle celebrating the 83rd birthday of Kuwaiti actor, singer, playwright, and comedian Abdulhussain Abdulredha was illustrated by Kuwait City-based guest artist Ahmed Al-Refaie (owaikeo).

On this day in 1939, Abdulredha was born in Kuwait to a seaman and homemaker, the seventh of fourteen children. He traveled to Egypt and Germany to study printmaking before he began working in the entertainment industry. He found his niche in the tragi-comedy genre, where his comedy shone a spotlight on social issues. Over his fifty-year career, Abdulhussain performed and produced over 30 plays and television series.

His work precipitated the political and social genre. Abdulhussain founded and directed an entertainment television channel in 2006 called Funoon TV, which was the first Arabic-language channel to focus on comedic material.

Abdulhussain is remembered for his bold social commentary, powerful singing voice, and being a father figure of Kuwait comedy. His comedy not only provided entertainment but also encouraged the audience to contemplate issues affecting Arab societies.

People can enjoy his many movies and plays today for a laugh, and to learn about the snapshots of history he satirizes.

Happy birthday, Abdulhussain Abdulredha!

Guest Artist Q&A with Ahmed Alrefaie (owaikeo)

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Kuwait City-based guest artist Ahmed Alrefaie (owaikeo). Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?

A: I was delighted to be selected by Google to represent Kuwait and one of its cultural icons, Abdulhussain Abdulredha. I’ve always admired the diversity of ideas and art styles featured on Google Doodles and to be part of this amazing initiative was something I truly always wanted.

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: Abdulhussain Abdulredha is well known and I used to watch his plays on TV when I was younger and was amazed by his comedic performances. My concept draws inspiration from my memories where Abdulhussain shines on stage with an audience bursting with laughter.

Q. Did you learn anything surprising or noteworthy while researching for this Doodle?

A: I was always very familiar with the actor but it was an enjoyable process going back through his plays and shows for inspiration. It really helped me capture his humor and personality in the composition and art style.

Q. Can you tell us about your process

A: I usually write down ideas that come to mind as these are unfiltered and allows my mind to explore without restrictions. I later researched on the Doodles archive which was a great source of inspiration where I got to see the various ways people incorporated the Google identity in their own styles. I later researched the topic a lot and then I started sketching while improving my ideas. I later worked on Illustrator to create the doodle and colored it with a vibrant color scheme.