‘Gen Z Has A Point, Hear Them Out,’ Says Poet Abrar Ahmed Kashif In Indore

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): “We cannot doubt the intentions of Gen Z. Though their views may sometimes appear wrong, listening to them often makes us realise that they have a point,” noted poet Abrar Ahmed Kashif said during the State Press Club Madhya Pradesh’s programme Rubaru in Indore.

Kashif, who had arrived to participate in a Natia Mushaira in Shajapur, interacted with journalists for nearly an hour and answered their questions candidly.

Speaking about the younger generation, he said Gen Z and Gen Alpha had become increasingly aware and it was important for society to understand what they were trying to say.

He said every generation brings changes in language, literature and culture. “We are passing through a period of transition.

The present generation wants more content in less time, and poetry and shayari are also being influenced by this change,” he said.

On language, Kashif stressed the need to simplify difficult expressions. He said Urdu was often unnecessarily dragged into controversies despite being “a language that resides in hearts” and one that connects people.

The growing participation of non-Muslims in Urdu poetry events, he said, was proof of its universal appeal. He added that political controversies over languages ultimately achieved little.

Recalling his association with the late Rahat Indori, Kashif described him as his “spiritual mentor” and said Indore was a city rich in poetry and literature.

He recalled how Rahat Indori, along with poets such as Munawwar Rana, Manzar Bhopali and Bashir Badr, helped establish mushairas across the country.

Kashif also spoke about his earlier poem Khuda Ka Sawaal, explaining that he had tried to present man’s relationship with the Almighty. He said he now wanted to write another poem in which a human being directly speaks to God.

He acknowledged that standards on literary stages were declining but said genuine poets would still find attentive audiences.