Javed Akhtar on staying relevant: embrace learning, respect younger voices
Synopsis
In a candid moment at Boman Irani's Spiral Bound event, lyricist Javed Akhtar dismantled the myth of the all-knowing senior artist. His formula for staying relevant after six decades: abandon the delusion that you know best, respect what younger generations understand, and acknowledge that the future belongs to them, not you. It's a radical humility rarely voiced in Bollywood.
Key Takeaways
Javed Akhtar spoke at an event organised under Spiral Bound , a writing platform created by Boman Irani .
When asked by Aamir Khan how he stays relevant, Akhtar emphasised openness to learning from every generation.
Akhtar stated that senior artists often "overstate" and that the world belongs to younger generations.
He argued that knowledge flows both ways: seniors know things juniors don't, and vice versa.
The audience responded with sustained applause to his message on humility and continuous learning.
Lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, speaking at an event organised under Spiral Bound—a writing platform created by actor Boman Irani—revealed the cornerstone of his six-decade career: an unwavering openness to learning from every generation. When asked by Aamir Khan how he remains relevant across age cohorts, Akhtar offered a candid reflection on power, knowledge, and humility in creative work.
The generational shift
Akhtar traced his journey through three distinct phases of the industry. "When I entered, everyone was older than us," he recalled. "Then people our age joined. Now I work with people of my grandchildren's age." Rather than viewing this as displacement, he framed it as an opportunity to absorb fresh perspectives. The underlying message was stark: refusing to learn from younger collaborators is a path to irrelevance.
Knowledge is bidirectional
Akhtar articulated a principle that runs counter to conventional seniority hierarchies. "We know some things you don't. But you know many things we don't," he told the audience. This mutual intellectual debt, he suggested, is the only sustainable model for longevity in creative fields. The delusion that "I know the best," he cautioned, is the death knell of relevance.
Ownership belongs to youth
Perhaps most striking was Akhtar's assertion that the world "belongs" to the younger generation. "We are overstaying," he said plainly. This was not self-deprecation but a reframing of the senior artist's role: not as gatekeeper or sage, but as a respectful participant in a conversation led by those with the most stake in the future.
The room's reaction
Boman Irani, who shared the moment on social media, underscored the simplicity of Akhtar's formula: stay open, keep learning, don't shy away from change. The observation resonated visibly with attendees, drawing sustained applause. In an industry obsessed with legacy and staying power, Akhtar's humility stood out as both rare and instructive.
Point of View
His insistence that "the world belongs to you" and that seniors are "overstaying" is both refreshing and instructive. The real insight isn't that learning matters—it's that he frames it not as a favour to the young, but as a structural necessity for the old. That reframing, from obligation to survival, is what makes his statement powerful.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Javed Akhtar say about staying relevant across generations?
Akhtar said that staying relevant requires openness to learning and respecting what younger generations know. He emphasised that one must abandon the delusion of knowing everything and be willing to learn from collaborators of all ages, particularly the young.
Who asked Javed Akhtar the question about relevance?
Actor Aamir Khan asked Akhtar how he remains relevant while working with people of different generations, from his peers when he started to much younger collaborators as he became more senior.
What platform did Boman Irani create?
Boman Irani created Spiral Bound, a writing platform. Javed Akhtar spoke at an event organised under this platform.
What did Akhtar mean by saying 'the world belongs to you'?
Akhtar meant that the future and the world's direction belong to younger generations. He stated that seniors are "overstaying" and that while they may possess certain knowledge, the younger generation holds the keys to what comes next.
How did the audience respond to Akhtar's remarks?
The audience responded with sustained applause, indicating strong resonance with his message about humility, continuous learning, and respecting generational differences.
