Known for his skill in the world of glam and beauty, actor and content producer Ankush Bahuguna has recently announced the release of the much-awaited Season 2 for his original makeup show, ‘Wing It with Ankush.’ Celebrities such as Shruti Haasan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Prajakta Koli, and LGBTQ activist Sushant Divgikar are part of the exciting lineup for the upcoming season, which is being produced in association with Lakmē. Ankush talks about how he went from being an incidental beauty content maker to being a Forbes cover star. He additionally gives insights into the unique premise of his show, which challenges preconceptions in this exclusive chat with News18.com.
Excerpts from the interview:
What motivated you to embark on your journey in the makeup industry, ultimately evolving into a prominent influencer?
It wasn’t really a planned move. I felt very inclined towards makeup in the lockdown; it was just one of those hobbies I had picked up, and as any content creator would, I started making videos on it, and before I knew it, I had unlocked a whole new set of audience members who wanted to watch me learn from scratch and learn with me. I didn’t take it too seriously initially, but I realised the potential I had and how much I enjoyed making beauty content, so I dived right in, and there has been no looking back ever since.
Reflecting on the experience of gracing the cover of Forbes magazine and gaining widespread acclaim for your contributions, how did that moment impact you?
Forbes is not just a magazine; its kind of a benchmark for success for most of us. And to be the first beauty creator to be on the cover of it felt surreal. Never had I imagined this day would come that not only would I be loved so widely, but I would also be recognised as a beauty creator in the biggest and most prestigious magazine in the country. It has given me so much more confidence; it has also made me feel seen; I feel worthy; and more than any of that, it has reinstilled faith in me—that if you just let yourself go in the direction where life takes you, you will reach places you had never even imagined.
“Wing It With Ankush” stands out as a distinctive concept, particularly within the realm of Indian beauty creators. Could you share the inspiration behind launching this series and discuss its role in challenging stereotypes within the beauty and content creation landscape?
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I started my makeup journey by trying on fun makeup looks on my mother, my sisters, and my friends, and I realizsed that people are 100% themselves when they are sitting on that makeup chair. There’s no pretence, no projection; that’s when you see their essence as people—it couldn’t get more candid than that. So, Wing It With Ankush, as a show, is just a window into who your favourite celebrities are as people when the camera isn’t rolling and they’re not “performing” when they’re just being themselves. And that makes for such beautiful conversations. Also, the format of my show doesn’t allow them to see the makeup till the very end, so there’s obviously that curiosity to see what it’s going to turn out into. I think there’s a dearth of content that doesn’t feel synthetic and performative, and I want to break that. I want to capture people in their true essence so that when you watch the show, you feel like you actually got to know them, even if just a little bit.
Can you share a very beautiful anecdote from your career so far? Maybe a sweet compliment?
One of my followers once told me that my content has helped her on her roughest days, and I think nothing could be more beautiful than that.
How did the intersection of your fascination with makeup artistry and your passion for acting shape your career choices, and in what ways has this dual interest left its mark on your professional journey?
Honestly, it can be tricky because everybody wants to box you as a “comedy creator,” “makeup influencer,” or “actor.”. But I’m not up for it. I’ve always been a jack of all trades, and a creator is a creator, whether he creates comedy, beauty, travel or just characters. Sometimes we start with one thing, but along the way, we discover new avenues. I see myself as an artist, and I shall continue to move towards whatever interests me. I think I’ve evolved a whole lot from where I started, and I am glad I made the choices I did. I’m more than an Instagram account; we’re all multifaceted, and that’s something we should embrace. If anything at all, this exploration of beauty, acting and comedy has only set me apart from the rest and helped me carve my own niche. It helped people finally see me as a whole-rounded person and not just a verified Instagram account.
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Drawing from your own journey, what guidance would you offer to budding influencers and aspiring makeup artists seeking to establish themselves in the industry?
There are enough people to romanticise this field. What I’m going to tell you is to have your bases covered, especially financially. Its a very unpredictable profession; you could be creating fabulous content for years and years before you even get your first deal. Relevance is real, and it is very fleeting. Step into it knowing these cons. Have a stable job and start content creation on the side; quit only when you know you will be able to make enough money through your content.
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