Comics
Experience cosplaying at a Comic Con in India from a cosplayer's point of view.
For many years, costume play or cosplay has always come across as a more “serious” form of dress-up. However, it has since evolved into a way to pay homage to our heroes.
Cosplaying in India is not the same as other countries. Events and conventions are few and far between. Almost everyone targets the end of the year now because of the Comic Con season. From roughly September/October till December, it is a rush for Worbla (a plastic type material used in fabrication), last-minute stitching jobs and chasing after friends to make sure they have not ditched you for that all-important group cosplay.
When Nikita Jadwani entered the KTPO Trade Centre on December 2nd, she only half-heartedly expected strangers to identify her as Zelda instead of Link from The Legend of Zelda (the final tally was something like 14 vs 13). One passer-by asked how Link could be a girl. Another casually remarked “Maharani ki jai ho” at the sight of her sword and shield (he was promptly denied a photo opportunity). The crowds started out well enough but swelled into a cascade of humanity. There were not many places to rest, but for Nikita, this was still some measure of home away from home.
Nikita works in digital marketing and is highly active on social media. She is also one of the most enthusiastic Indian cosplayers in the community, having attended Bangalore Comic Con for the past several years. Nikita is an avid fan of video games — her family exposed her to the world of SEGA and Sony from a relatively young age. While she is in touch with the latest trends and loves to discover new places to visit, Nikita also strongly identifies with franchises like Kingdom Hearts and The Legend of Zelda. For a long time, cosplaying as protagonist Link and paying tribute to “one of the most beautiful role-playing games in history” was her long-standing goal.
“I love cosplaying characters that have a strong sense of self,” says Nikita, “And stand for something in the respective roles they play, like hope, strength and adventure. By cosplaying these characters, I feel like I am living out their characteristics.” More than competing, Bangalore Comic Con was about living a fantasy while staying grounded in reality. As the day approaches, that feeling only gets stronger. With each passing year, that drive can often become more diminished.
It is important to recognise where Nikita is coming from as well. With a full-time job keeping her busy, an active social life and various other hobbies demanding her attention, cosplaying is something she has to make time for. It is easy to think you have enough time for a convention until it is at your metaphorical doorstep though. Nikita spent two weeks working on the sword and shield for Link with one week spent on the tunic and various embellishments. Her work responsibilities only allowed for working on them within a stipulated amount of time.
“Some of the issues I faced included buying the equipment and spending enough time experimenting with the different kinds of materials to see what fits best,” she explains. Sometimes during breaks, she could be found stitching inside her office. The passion to cosplay as Link was important but Nikita did not want to half-heartedly commit to it. That being said, time constraints meant that she could not get everything she wanted for the costume. The night before the convention, she was extremely excited but also extremely nervous.
“I had a pair of felt boots in mind. I wanted to make that, but I didn’t have the time for it, so I felt my footwear wasn't appropriate. Basically, I was being critical about how much I could stay true to the character. I was also excited because I love this character and I hoped to find more people at the Con who’d appreciate Link as much as I did.”
Working on her cosplay often helped in dealing with the nervousness. “Somehow, working on it, even if it’s just a little, helped calm me down.” Having lots of friends who were “oh-so-very encouraging” did not hurt either.
Bangalore Comic Con 2017 was not any less chaotic than the previous editions. The usual “ritual” where volunteers would inquire as to one's nerd credentials is still prevalent. The booth for cosplay registration has been moved closer to the entrance. The same backdrop for cosplayers to pose still remains. Stalls were ready to provide the latest in merchandise. It was a familiar sight for Nikita, who felt the convention was much better organized in 2017.
“The volunteers are so helpful! They really upped their game to take care of cosplayers and make us feel welcome. With photo ops and water, and even a station to help with quick fixes, everyone did a great job this time. The convention venue was a little small in my opinion because it couldn’t handle the influx of people.” As for the stalls, she felt the big brands offered a decent range of activities along with the main stage events compared to the previous edition. The mix of merchandise, artwork, comic books and guests like international cosplayer Tabitha Lyons and Brown Paperbag creator Sailesh Gopalan was also judged as a positive.
Of course, walking around in an outfit with props, posing with different people and dealing with crowds can be exhausting. At one point, a child attempted to take Nikita's sword for himself, which prompted a stern talking to from her end. While the first day saw her exhausted and worn out, Nikita revealed that she was content. “It reaffirmed why I spent all those nights and money to dress up as my favourite character. It’s all worth it in the end. The first day was a little less exciting. But I guess it was mostly because a lot of my friends weren’t there and the kind of crowd that was present wasn’t as riveting.”
Day two was a different story. Nikita would be with her friends Kailash Nrs and Pranav Kumar in a Ghostbusters group cosplay. “When they say things are always better with friends, they weren’t kidding. The second day was so much more fun, not only because I had my friends with me but because the crowd was more engaged. I was proud of the cosplay I was wearing.” Nikita says.
Again, however, it was not a stress-free experience. It took one week for the Proton Packs to be crafted and another week to source the t-shirts. Stitching together the actual jumpsuits from Ghostbusters would have meant a lot more time and money invested, so shirts were created instead. But, there were other issues though.
“The biggest problem was that we were three people who had different roles to play. I was in charge of the shirts and Kai was in charge of the packs. Pranav was in charge of the extra gadgets. Not only did the proton packs arrive at the last minute before the convention, but it was hard to coordinate when all three of us are occupied with full-time jobs. I had to get their measurements, they had to get the equipment to make different things.”
Ultimately, their cosplay was completed on time, but it was a scramble to the very end. One would be excused for thinking that this is a rare occurrence, but there are plenty of cosplays that are only truly 'finished' just before Comic Con starts.
Nikita did not mind it though. She had fun with her friends, and while the second day ended early, she was busy helping them prepare for the stage show. “It was so much fun! We were rushing, and things were crazy. But we were also laughing, cracking jokes, developing skills for cutting, glueing, pasting and sticking at lightning speed, and jumping around collectively to get things done on time.” Such an experience only further cemented how much Nikita loves the cosplay presentation and her friends. “My extremely talented friends are so much fun to be with, and I feel very fortunate to know them,” she noted.
Given how much stress she took to get both her cosplays ready, it is perhaps a little surprising to hear that Nikita did not take part in the cosplay competition. With 2017 being her fourth Comic Con overall, she noted that it was exciting to go on stage and showcase one's hard work. That being said, Nikita has made peace with why the stage showcase is not for her. “I feel like the stage events are now for those who are seriously competing or cosplaying for the first time. The excitement in that for me has lessened over the years. I don’t cosplay to win — not because I don’t have a chance but because it means something different to me now. I like taking pictures with people and talking to them, and actually mingling with friends.”
Events like Comic Con come and go. The year 2017 alone saw Japan Habba, Comic Con, India Gaming Show, Indian Games Expo and Cool Japan Festival on top of many smaller events with opportunities to showcase one's cosplay. Cosplay in India as a whole is still in its infancy, a sentiment which Nikita echoes.
“It’s very, very nascent — so much so that anyone can do it, yet the ones who do it really well don’t get the recognition they deserve. The ones who are easily accessible are the ones who get the most attention even if their skills aren't that refined. The ones who have been doing it for years are the ones who deserve the tribute, but somehow it gets lost in the clutter.” She believes that the media reaching out to the right people and portraying their stories will offer the best insight into the phenomenon, especially given their experience.
When asked about the cosplay scene in relation to Comic Con, Nikita said that as a whole, there is more to the convention than that. She believes that cosplay is sometimes given prominence over other compelling parts of the event.
“What about all the artists, and talented illustrators that showcase their work in Artists Alley? What about encouraging local comic book heroes and Indian comics who find Comic Con India to be the best platform for them? What about geeking over characters and sharing a common love for all things pop culture? Comic Con is all of that. Cosplay is just a part of it and people tend to forget it.”
Comic Con India is still a worthwhile destination for people of all age groups and hobbies to join together. Whether it is showcasing one’s talent and creativity or “discovering a side to themselves that they never knew they could have”, but for Nikita, it is about having a good time. If you can do that and meet people with the same interest, then all the better.
