Javed Akhtar was first poet I read: Avinash Tiwary

AI’ve been fond of wordplay since childhood. I don’t necessarily have a structure or format to what I write. AVINASH TIWARY, Actor

vinash Tiwary has always been fond of poetry. In the past few months, the actor has been taking to social media to share poems penned by him on nostalgia, love and life. “I’ve been fond of wordplay since childhood. I don’t necessarily have a structure or format to what I write,” he says, adding he is always on the lookout for new-age writers and believes social media is a good space to know more of them and be inspired.

The Bulbbul (2020) actor says it was poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar who influenced his love for words. “He was the first poet I read. His Tarkash was something I enjoyed as it has great wordplay. In the present time, I’ve been inspired by various new spoken word artistes like Sarah Kay, poets like Tyler Knott Gregson and Ammar Iqbal,” he shares.

So, does he have any plans for a poetry book someday? “Reading, more than writing, has honed my skill as an actor. I would want to evolve as a reader,” he says.

Even though the digital world has been a boon for emerging writers and avid readers like him, Tiwary believes that books haven’t yet taken a backseat. “Books are definitely fighting for attention but I don’t think that the magic of the book has waned away. It’s just that there are more writers than readers,” he says.

On the work front, he will next be seen on the screen adaptation of Dongri To Dubai and two more web projects, according to some reports.

Ask him if he is comfortable being called a web actor and Tiwary says, “I absolutely despise any kind of categorisation and label. In fact, my Instagram bio says, ‘Defying Labels’. I have worked very hard to be called an actor and I don’t think I can be bound by any medium.”