Khwaja Ahmad Abbas

Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (Urdu/Persian: ; ख़्वाजा अहमद अब्बास) (7 June 1914 – 1 June 1987), popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages. His films won three National Film Awards in India, and the Palme d'Or (Grand Prize) at the Cannes Film Festival, with three Palme d'Or nominations. He was the maker of important Hindi films such as Saat Hindustani (1969) and Do Boond Pani (1972), both of which won the National Film Awards for Best Feature Film on National Integration, the Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival) nominated Pardesi (1957), and Shehar Aur Sapna (1963) which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. As a screenwriter, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas is considered one of pioneers of Indian parallel or neo-realistic cinema, having penned films like the Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival, Neecha Nagar (1946), Jagte Raho, Dharti Ke Lal, Saat Hindustani, and Naya Sansar. He is known for writing the best of Raj Kapoor's films, including the the Palme d'Or nominated Awaara (1951), as well as Shri 420, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby and Henna. His column ‘Last Page’, holds the distinction of being one of the longest-running columns in the history of Indian journalism. The column began in 1935, in Bombay Chronicle, and moved to the Blitz after the Chronicle's closure, where it continued until his death in 1987. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1969, by Government of India.