The event was a Mushaira in remembrance of Javed Akhtar’s father poet Jan Nisar Akhtar.
Javed Akhtar spoke about his association with this area and how over the years it played a significant role in upholding the language.“Mujhe toh virsart mein yeh ilaka mila, main toh raha nahi kabhi yahan. I had come to the Arcadia Building when I was around four or five years old. I remember Sahir Sahab, Majrooh Sahab, Kaifi Sahab inn ilakon mein (in these areas). Waakai yahan pe jo log, the people who live here, unhone Urdu ko sambhal ke rakha hai and bahut mehfooz rakha hai, buri nazron se. Yeh bahut taarif ki, izzat ki baat hai. Main Firaq Sahab ka ek quote sunaunga. Unhone kaha tha ek baar ki woah aadmi bada hi badkismat hai ki jo Hindustan mein paida hua aur usne shammi kabab nahi khaye aur Urdu shayari nahi padhi.”
Talking about his children Farhan and Zoya Akhtar and their Urdu taalem during childhood, Javed Akhtar said, “He (Farhan) would come back from school at 4 and at 5.30 his Urdu teacher would come. So I kept an Urdu home. Ek Urdu ka teacher for him.rakha tha maine. Khaas taur se jo mera beta tha, usne kafi padhna bhi seekh liya tha, lekin woah ho nahi paya, bahut koshishkoshishon ke bawajood. Wajah yeh thi ki unki Maa Urdu se nahi theein. Honey Irani, angrezi, gujarti hiaur gujarati hee janti hain. Toh Maa agar zabaan na jane toh phir bachche ke liye abhutbahut zyaada dushwar ho jata hai, zaban kisi zabaan ko janna. Madri zabanzabaan aise hihee toh nahi kehtekehtein na, koi wajah hogi, baki sab cheezon mein toh Baapon ne kabzaa kiya hua hai, toh kya wajah hai ki iseisse maadri zabanzabaan kehtein hain, peedri zabanzabaan nahi kehtein. BahralBahrhal main yahan ye keh raha hoon, ki yahan jo maayein baithi hain woah apne bachcho kon Urdu padhayein.”