Ankush Bahuguna
A casual Instagram rant by Ankush Bahuguna ended up drawing attention to something that had little to do with the video itself, the taste of Closeup toothpaste.
The reel, posted on January 22, was intended as a funny, off-the-cuff take on a relationship. Midway through the video, Bahuguna unintentionally taste the closeup while ranting. Viewers, however, picked up on the moment and began associating it with the toothpaste in the comments.
The comment section began drifting almost immediately.
Users started talking about the toothpaste. Many recalled how they used to taste it as children, joking about the flavour and tagging Closeup repeatedly. Several comments admitted it was a habit more common than people like to say out loud.
As the replies grew, screenshots of the comments began circulating across Instagram, turning the toothpaste reference into the reel's main talking point. The moment widened further when Ananya Panday reacted, pushing the conversation beyond Bahuguna's usual audience.
With Closeup dominating the discussion, the brand later responded by leaning into the nostalgia that had taken over the comments. A chef was brought in to recreate the familiar Closeup flavour in food form, resulting in five dishes inspired by the toothpaste flavour.
Source: Instagram (USPC Officials)
Videos of the dishes prompted mixed reactions, curiosity, disbelief, and humour, with many viewers admitting the idea sounded odd but tempting. Packages linked to the activity were later shared with influencers and creators.
There has been no confirmation on whether Closeup plans to take the idea further.On social media, sometimes the comments decide what people remember.
