'Literature helps you imbibe better values'

At a literary event held in Pune, noted lyricist, poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, who was born in a family of freethinkers to Jan Nisar Akhtar, an Urdu poet and Communist and Safia Akhtar, a singer, writer and teacher in Gwalior, said that the environment influenced his thinking. Although he didn’t aspire to be a writer in his youth, exposed to world literature, took up reading at a very young age. He feels literature can change things for the better and has the power to infuse a sense of judgement in people. “Never has the value of literature been more relevant than it is today. Society hasn’t been this quiet before. Although apparently paradoxical, there are two good aspects of literature: one is, it tells us how different people are in different parts of the world because of their origin, nationality, religion, appearance, language etc secondly, it tells you how similar people are because they have the same joys and sorrows, hopes and aspirations. Society taught to differentiate between ‘us’ and ‘them’ but literature beautifully teaches you that there is no ‘them.’ We are all ‘us’, he said, “ adding, “Remember, literature is not aspirin, you take one and the pain will go away. It is like a vitamin, you need it to nourish yourself. Literature, poetry, and art help enhance and develop your sense of aesthetics which in turn will give you a sense of beauty. Once it develops, you won’t stand exploitation and injustice because these will seem ugly to you. Literature helps you imbibe better values.”- Amrita.Prasad@timesgroup.comPic: Gaurav Kadam