BENGALURU: A curious set of audience was waiting on Sunday evening to watch drag queen Kushboo carry out a grand entry to the song, Fashion, by Lady Gaga. Popularly known as ‘Kushboo the kween’ on social media, city-based lawyer Ikshaku Bezbaroa calls this his comeback show after a short break.
Inspired by Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Kushboo’s journey as a drag artiste began in 2016. Bezbaroa calls it a one-man army, since he does everything alone, from costumes and makeup to performance and hosting. “For me, it started off as an experiment that I tried after watching TV performances. I started doing it publicly in 2017,” says Bezbaroa, who claims to be one of the first few drag queens in Delhi to give public performances.
His parents are aware of him being a drag queen and he could not have asked for more supportive parents, he says. But it was not the same always. “They were initially shocked about it, more from the safety perspective. We had some hiccups but now everything is ironed out,” he says, adding that before the recent performance, his mother had called to wish him luck. When not performing as Kushboo, Bezbaroa works for an NGO that deals with environmental issues. He came to Bengaluru in 2018 after breaking up with his boyfriend, and calls the city a ‘healing’ place.
“I came here because my parents were living here. The city helped me find love, by helping me love myself,” says Bezbaroa, who currently lives on his own. He adds that Bengaluru is quite accepting of the LGBTQ community. Ask him why don’t we see more of drag performances in the city and he says, “Now I am here, you will definitely see more such shows.”
Although it is his passion, he is aware of the fact that many may want to consider it professionally and would be worried about the financial aspects. “It is quite lucrative if you want to take it up professionally. One could be in a comfortable space even if they do two-three major shows a month,” adds Bezbaroa. He says there is curiosity among people to learn more about this art form, and he wants to conduct workshops to boost awareness.