Comic Con, Golden Kela come to Mumbai

In February this year, Delhi’s comic book fans took to the streets in the garb of their favourite avatars at the first-ever comic convention in India.

In February this year, Delhi’s comic book fans took to the streets in the garb of their favourite avatars at the first-ever comic convention in India. In October, as Comic Con hosts a two-day express convention, Mumbai’s comic clique too should make their way to the dresswalla in time.

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“We expected a gathering of 2,000 people at the most. But the 15,000 who turned up on a rainy day in Delhi is definitely something we couldn’t have imagined,” says Jatin Varma of Twenty Onwards Media, the mastermind behind Comic Con India.

Modelled on the legendary San Diego Comic-Con International, the Indian version will continue to take place in the capital annually. The ‘express’ Mumbai edition, however, is a tighter, travelling version, reaching out to fans across the country. “We’ll start with Mumbai and then go on to Bangalore and Chennai this year,” confirms Varma.

The Mumbai leg of the Indian convention, slated for October 22 and 23 at the World Trade Centre in Cuffe Parade will feature new comic launches, interactive workshops and contests. “This time, we also hope to have a few international graphic artists and novelists among our attendees,” says Varma, who has previously organised the Golden Kela Awards, an annual satirical take on the worst in Hindi cinema. Varma says, “The Kela Awards have become hugely popular since their inception in 2008. We plan to bring it to Mumbai next year, since most of the winners (losers?) cannot be present in Delhi.”