Kolkata, Jan 12 (IANS) Actor Naseeruddin Shah feels that literary festivals play an important role in spreading awareness about books among the new generation.

“If one of the purposes of literary festivals is to spread awareness about books and literature then it’s good. During our young days as we used to roam with bag full of books but now a days young boys move around with bag full of DVDs and computers. I think literary festivals help in creating that awareness about books,” Naseeruddin Shah told reporters on the sidelines of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival 2012.

Naseeruddin Shah won the hearts of the Kolkatans with his splendid recitation of poems of famous Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz at the programme organised here to commemorate the peot’s centenary celebrations.

“I am very much honoured to perform at this function which has been organised to commemorate 100 years of Faiz. I do not know much about poetry. But I like the works of Ghalib and Faiz,” he said.