Vice President M Hamid Ansari today paid glowing tributes to film director, novelist and writer Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, terming him "perhaps the most prominent progressive voice" in Indian commercial films.
Delivering Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Centenary lecture on "Literature, Art and Social Awareness", Ansari termed his work among the "most impressive" pieces of realism and social commentary.
"He could be rightly described as one the pioneers of what was later called 'art films' or 'parallel cinema'. He was perhaps the most prominent progressive voice in Indian commercial films," he said.
Abbas' works, which included much-acclaimed Neecha Nagar, reflected his deep commitment to the ideals of socialism, secularism and nationalism, he said.
Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi and NCP spokesperson and MP D P Tripathi also spoke on the occasion.
