Youngsters should be allowed to create their own image: Javed

Patna, Oct 24: Youngsters should be allowed to create their own image instead of being made to become the shadow of some great personality, noted lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar told a gathering of school students here today.

Speaking at a school function here, Akhtar said teenagers should be allowed to grow on their own instead of being treated as letter boxes in which people post suggestions on how to become a great personality.

"The youngsters should on the other hand be innovative and try to create their own images instead of trying to become the shadow of some great personality," he said.

Asked by a student to comment on the confusion among today's teenagers, he said: "Only a thinking person can be confused." The Padma Bhusan awardee said that like any other child, he too had dreamt of becoming a film hero after seeing success of Dilip Kumar's movie 'Aan' in his young days.

He said it was important to excel in any job that one chose and recounted an incident in his childhood when he was suggested by his father's friend to be a grass cutter but an excellent one so that if Rashtrapati Bhawan needs a trained man for the job, it would take him.

Only a thinking person can be confused, says Akhtar

Emphasising on equality for women, the noted script-writer said that women should not only be given respect, but their rights as well. "Any talk of respect for women without giving them their rights is a fraud on them," he said and stressed on women's empowerment while expressing happiness over girls venturing out of their houses to live their lives. "Yusuf Malala of Pakistan who was shot in the head by the Taliban symbolises the new generation of girls which is encouraging," Akhtar said.

The programme was also attended by economist and JD(U) Rajya Sabha member N K Singh, whose daughter runs the school which organised the function.

PTI