Mumbai: Ankit Gupta, who made his Bollywood debut as a music composer with Akshay Kumar-starrer Welcome To The Jungle, shared that his favorite music composer is Anand Raj Anand. He said, “He has also been my mentor. He has given Bollywood many wonderful songs over the years. He has composed every type of song, whether it is sad, romantic, dance, or item songs.”
He also spoke about another composer whose style he deeply admires. He said, “Apart from him, I also admire Amit Trivedi. I like the way he creates music and his approach towards it. All the composers working in Bollywood are doing good work, but these two are my favorites.”
On the artists who have inspired him beyond the world of composition, Ankit pointed to two very different but equally influential names. He said, “Honey Singh and Michael Jackson are my favorites because they were complete entertainers. The way they presented themselves was truly inspiring. Michael Jackson took music to a level that every artist dreams of reaching. I always wanted to attend one of his concerts, but unfortunately, I never got the chance.”
He also credited Honey Singh’s body of work for shaping his own approach as a producer. He said, “Honey Singh has always inspired me with his music production and the way he presents himself. Whether it is his recent music or the songs he made back in 2011, his work has always been amazing. As a music producer, I have learned a lot from him.”
Asked if there is a dream filmmaker he hopes to collaborate with someday, Ankit named a director whose work he greatly enjoys. He said, “There are many filmmakers I want to work with, but I especially want to work with Luv Ranjan. I enjoy the kind of entertaining films he makes. His movies have everything, be it emotion, romance, fun, or great music. He also loves music, and that is one of the reasons I want to work with him.”
He shared one more long-standing dream collaboration on his list. He said, “I would also love to work with Imtiaz Ali Sir. I think every musician dreams of working with him. Ever since Rockstar, it has been my dream to collaborate with him.”
When it comes to advice for aspiring musicians, Ankit kept his message simple and rooted in discipline. He said, “I would only say one thing: always keep yourself updated. Music is all about practice, so never stop practicing. Never think that you have learned enough. There is always something new to learn in music. Every day, new trends come, and new ideas become popular. So keep trying, keep learning, and keep practicing. One day, all your hard work will pay off.”
Talking about his roots in Punjabi music, Ankit explained just how deeply it has shaped his musical sensibility. He said, “I was born and brought up in Punjab, so Punjabi music has always had the biggest influence on me. At home, in the neighborhood, and everywhere around us, we mostly listened to Punjabi songs. Artists like Gurdas Maan Sahab and Hans Raj Hans Sahab had a big influence on me.”
“Punjabi music is special because it has songs for every emotion. Whether someone is angry, sad, in love, or celebrating friendship, there is a song for every feeling. Punjabis express their emotions very well, and I think that is reflected in their music too,” Ankit ended.
